Going Home
by Disturbed Courtney
Summary: Story Nine: Rogue thinks of life before the XMen... and thinks she and Remy'll take a lil trip
1. The Idea

Going Home

Disclaimers: Nah, still don't own em, probably never will… *sigh*

Hey, I told ya I had another story lined up. I didn't think it would be coming out this soon… I'm going to try posting it as I write it, hopefully that'll keep me inspired to write a li'l everyday. 

And now, Part 1 of #9! (ick, hope that wasn't confusing :o)

****

Going Home

"Remy?"

"Oui, chere?"

"Ya evah think of New Orleans?"

He was silent for a moment. "Ev'ryday."

She pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulder and edged herself closer to Remy on the rock. The sun had just set and the pink and orange hues were dissipating over the ocean's horizon.

The X-Men had continued their vacation after a weekend of rest and going over unanswered questions. Rogue and Remy desperately needed a long break after their encounter with a piece of Remy's past. Sinister.

He felt her closer to him and instinctively wrapped an arm around her covered shoulders. At first she tensed up, thinking she only had on her bathing suit, but then sank into his touch feeling his warmth through her thin fuzzy blanket.

"Do ya evah wish ya could go back?"

Another thought-filled pause. "Most of de time, non."

"Oh." She wasn't expecting that as an answer. "Ah thought ya loved it there."

"I do. An' sometimes I wish I could go back. But den de t'ought of what's waintin' f'me dere if I ev'r go back gets t' me." She nodded, absorbing his every word. "What's wit de sudden questionin', chere?"

"Nothin', sugah. Ah'm just curious."

He took his attention away from the water and looked down at her. She was obviously concentrating hard on the already set sun to avoid his penetrating stare. "Rogue…" he pried. "What's goin' on?"

She gulped mutely. "Remy, when Ah say 'nothin', it means 'nothin', y'hear?" Her gaze was cold and still fixated on the horizon.

Remy slid off the rock and kneeled down in front of her. His eyes met hers and he immediately saw her eyes soften. Then she shut them, suddenly too afraid to let him see into her soul. "C'mon, chere. Tell Remy what's wrong." He rested his hands on her lap, the thin blanket tucked between her bare legs to keep him protected.

Hey eyes fluttered open and met his gaze once again. "Ah miss home a lot too," she finally said.

"Y' do?" He asked with a hint of surprise. He had heard from the others about what had happened when her power had manifested. A boy named Cody had touched her mistakenly and she almost when crazy from meeting up with the X-Men. He had never asked her about it, figuring it was another one of those sensitive topics.

"Like you, Ah know what's waitin' foh me there. Seems like both of us were driven outta the places we grew up."

"Den what y' miss?" He had a feeling the answer she would give him would be familiar to what he thinks of everyday.

She took a deep breath. "What Ah miss most is the atmosphere. Ya know?" He nodded, understanding completely. "Ah loved the sense of peace Ah had. An' Irene was the closest thing Ah had to a mom, though she was kinda strict sometimes."

"Irene?" He remembered the name from before, but this was one of those rare chances where Rogue was willing to answer all his questions.

"She watched ovah me foh who knows how long. Ah always knew she wasn't mah real momma, but Ah was happy. Ah miss mah special place though."

"Where was dat?"

"Raht by this cemetery where the X-Men followed me to an' where Mystique recruited me." She grimaced slightly. "There's this river. Ah think it was the Mississippi, but raht now it doesn't mattah ta me. But Ah would just climb up in one of the trees till nighttime an' the sun would set, an', gawd, it was just great." A small smile appeared on her face as her eyes drifted off into space as she reminisced.

Remy smiled to himself, glad that she could still find happiness in what was otherwise a miserable life. "Rogue?"

She looked back at him and grinned. "Yah, Remy?"

"Y' wanna go back?"

The smile instantly faded. "Oh, no. Ah couldn't. There's too much shit circulatin' about me prob'ly. Too many people saw what happened ta Cody."

"Quick question… since when d'ya care what people t'ink 'bout y'?"

The sad and dismal expression on her face was replaced with a blank one, her mind doing some major pondering. "Ya know," she started. "Ya're raht. Ah should go back. When though?"

"Whenev'r y' ready."

Her smile returned and she stood up. Remy tugged gently on the blanket to help support him up. "Ah'll ask the Professor. Ah'm sure he would have no problems with it!"

"Let's head back, den. De sooner y' ask him, de better, eh?"

"Ah could fly back Ah'm so happy!" To prove her point, she levitated off the ground a couple feet. She threw the blanket off her and stretched out her limbs, feeling very refreshed. Remy did his best to keep his eyes off her forest green camouflage bikini and on her smiling features. "Hey, Remy?"

He completely focused on her face then. "Oui?"

"Ya wanna know a secret?" A spark glinted in her eyes.

"Sure, chere."

She flew over to him and kissed him on top of his head through his copper auburn hair. "You're the only person whose opinion about me that mattahs."

He looked up and met her warm gaze. "'Love you too, Rogue."

She smirked slyly and flew ahead of him towards the beach house Xavier had rented. Remy bent down and picked up her blanket. After shaking out the sand, he chased after her, stumbling a bit in the loose white sands.

TBC

Sorry it's short. I'll definitely try to write some more after work tonight!


	2. Excitement and Second Thoughts

Going Home - Chapter 2

For disclaimers, see chapter one.

Quick author's note: no matter how many years of German I take, Kurt's accent will always be a bitch to write. Another thing, if it seems like I'm bashing Kitty at all… well, she's pissing me off these days. Yeah… Enjoy :o)

****

Going Home - Chapter 2

Rogue flew as fast as she could back to the huge beach house that was just off the sand. Jean and Scott were cuddling on the hammock as she flew over them. "What was that?" Jean said.

"Partially nude flying Rogue, I think." Scott joked. "I don't see Remy though." He peered through the dark towards the direction of the water. But with his ruby quartz sunglasses and the enveloping night, he couldn't see 10 feet in front of him.

"He's coming. I can see him." Just as Jean said so, Remy made it up to them. 

"Y' see Rogue come by here?"

Scott nodded. "No more than a minute ago. What's up with her? She darted by without saying anything to us."

"She jus' excited. She wants to visit Mis'sippi."

"Really?" Jean asked. "I didn't think she'd ever want to go back there."

"Me neit'er, but I gues' I talked her in t' it." He grinned.

Scott's face turned stern. "You do know what happened, right?"

"Oui. But dere's a place she wan' see. Jus' for ol' times sake."

"Are you going to go with her?" Jean asked. 

"Dunno yet. Hasn' asked me. She's goin' t' check with de Prof now t' see if she can even go."

"See that you do go. She's going to need someone she trusts with her if she does end up going back. It might not bring back anything but bad memories for her." Jean insisted.

Remy nodded. "Oui, chere. I figured I be goin' anyway." His smile returned brighter. "She can' live wit'out me."

"We'll see about that, Cajun." Scott smirked back. "Another thing… maybe she should get some clothes on?"

Remy laughed and lifted up the blanket. "She had dis on for awhile. But she t'rew it off when she flew back. I'm gonna go find her. Later, mes amis."

Rogue's feet didn't hit the floor till she was outside Xavier's study. It faced the ocean as well, with ceiling to floor windows for a great view. She had noticed Ororo spending time in there as well as she felt more with nature there.

She knocked lightly on the door, hoping she wasn't disturbing the professor. "Yes, Rogue?" He called from inside.

She shook her head smiling. _No one likes it when he does that._

"Force of habit, Rogue. Come on in." She heard him chuckle slightly. She pushed the door open enough for her to fit through and then shut it behind her. She saw him sitting by the windows with a lamp on, looking at the moonstruck ocean while reading a book. "Ah'm not botherin' anythin', am Ah?"

"No, please, take a seat." He smiled warmly as he gestured to one of the leather seats near the windows.

Rogue took a seat and stared out to the Atlantic. "Wow, this room has a great view."

"That it does. Now, what brings you here this evening?" He closed his book after placing in a bookmark and set it on the lamp table.

"Ah had a question. Would ya mind if Ah… visited Caldecott?"

His brow furrowed. "You wish to go back home?"

"Yah, just for a couple days at most," she said quickly. "Ah just wanna go an' see how things are there. Maybe see Irene an' visit some old hangouts."

"I see. You do realize that people may recognize you and what you did, correct?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded. "It's not like Ah wanna go run in ta Cody or anyone from school. Ah just need ta go down an' relax, Ah guess. Ah hope ya undahstand what Ah'm sayin'."

"Of course I do, Rogue. How soon would you like to go back?"

"Whenever's good foh the team. Ah don't want this to cause any problems. It's just a personal thing."

Xavier nodded. "Were you planning to take anyone down with you?"

Rogue smirked. "Do ya really hafta ask?"

"Remy, of course." Rogue blushed under her lightly tanned cheeks. "I see no problem with it. How's this: Since Remy knows how to drive, I'll talk to Scott about lending you his car since we brought it down with us in the Blackbird. He shouldn't have a problem with it. You two can drive down whenever you're ready from here. When you get down, let us know how long you plan to stay and we'll figure out things from there. It's probably best if you get back before the time with leave."

Rogue stood up. "Thanks, Professor. Y'all're the greatest." She made a movement to hug him, but she noticed her clothing, or lack there of. "Umm," she giggled. "Ah'd shake yoah hand or somethin' -"

"I understand. Go find Remy and tell him what's going on." He smiled.

She made her way to the door. "Thanks again." She beamed with joy and then left the room.

She looked around for Remy, but didn't see him at all. She figured the next best place to find him was the TV room. After a pit stop to her room to pull on a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, she strolled into the room, seeing Evan and Kurt playing their usual video games while Kitty typed away on her laptop. Rogue took a quick glance at the TV screen and saw that the boys were playing StarFox 64. She rolled her eyes, smiling, and then she took a seat next to Kitty on the couch.

Kitty nodded to Rogue in acknowledgement that she was there. "Whatcha doin', Kit?"

"I'm just typing to my parents, let them know what's going on. Ya know, like, the usual." She glanced up for a moment to smile briefly at her, then looked back down to continue tapping away on the keyboard.

"Ah see," she said, internally sighing. _Nice ta know everyone's taken the chance of gettin' outside…_

She turned away from Kitty and looked out the window. The TV room did not face the ocean, but had a great second-story view of the small North Carolina town they were staying in. She gazed up at the stars. She didn't wish. She gave up on that awhile ago.

"Hey, chere." She turned her face back forward and saw Remy standing and smiling there.

She grinned back."Ah've got good news. Xavier's lettin' us go!"

"Us?"

"'Course, us. Ya think Ah wouldn't take ya ta see mah home?"

"Well," he took the liberty of sitting in the space between Rogue and Kitty. After getting a small 'hmpf' from Kitty as she edged away slightly to give him more room, he continued. "I was gon' invite m'self 'long wit' y' if y' didn' say somet'in'."

"Nice ta know ya're still a gentleman."

He grinned charmingly as always, letting her know that her comment didn't faze him. "So, when we goin'?"

"Whenever the Prof talks Scott in ta lettin' us take his car."

"Aww, an' here I t'ought we gon' have t' steal Logan's bike again."

"Ya know, he still glares at me cuz of that."

"It's only been six days since we took it an' left it a half mile away from de mansion, chere."

"Whatevah, Cajun," she laughed. "Anyway, we can most likely leave in the mornin', which is great, cuz we can be back by Friday when the rest of the team goes back ta Bayville."

"How long de trip by car?" 

She shrugged. "Came up by plane with Mystique."

"Gues' we jus' gon' have t' find out de hard way, eh?"

"Yup." She smiled broadly. "Ah'm gonna go start repackin'. You should do the same." She got up from the couch and offered a hand for him.

Noticing her hand was still bare, he just smiled and said, "I t'ink I'll join Evan and de Elf in a game."

She looked down to her hand. Her eyes said "oops" and then turned back warm. "Wanna sit on the roof later?"

"Sure. Could Remy say no t' you?"

"Ah didn't think so. Ah'll see ya up there." She blew him a kiss, to the mock-disgust of her eavesdropping brother, and left the room.

"Vhere are you guys going?" He asked inquisitively after putting down his game paddle.

Remy wasn't sure how to answer him. Hell, the last time Kurt gave him that tone, he was asking the Cajun to not get his sister in trouble. And then they ended up in Seattle. "She wants t' go back south for a bit. Jus' to get a feel for it 'gain." He internally grimaced waiting for Kurt's response.

"Mein Gott, can't you just stay with us for vone veek? Ze last time ve left you two alone, for a veekend, what happened? You get captured, taken across ze country, und all zat fun stuff!"

"Kurt, mon ami, what're de chances of anyt'in' happenin'? S'not like trouble comes lookin' for us." He smirked. Yeah right. Of course it did.

Kurt seemed to think so, too. But he reluctantly resigned prematurely. "Fine, but I'm not going to say 'keep her out of trouble' again, because ze last time I did that -"

"I know. We'll be fine. Not'in' is gon' happen. Jus' pop down dere, see how much has changed since she left, an' come back home with a new feelin' of peace. Dat's all!" He put his hands up in defense.

Kurt's pale yellow eyes narrowed slightly but then turned soft. "All right. I'll trust you this time, Mein Freund. You want in," he asked, lifting a spare controller.

Remy nodded, happy to get over that speed bump. He got down from the couch to a comfortable position in front of the TV. Evan, who had just sat by and listened to the argument mutely, set up a new game and the three teenage boys started up a loud game of MarioKart. Kitty looked up momentarily to sigh obnoxiously and then turned her attention back to her laptop to finish off her email.

Rogue glanced to her clock as she lay in her bed. 12:18. She usually waited for Remy to climb up on the roof first and then she would fly up, but she was getting restless. The thought of going home couldn't keep her in one spot for very long. Before going to her room for the night, she had checked in the professor over the status of Scott's car. As he had said, Scott had no problem with the car being used, as long as it came back in one piece.

She picked herself out of bed and tiptoed to the window, since she was still sharing a room with Kitty. She had no idea why. It seemed like the beach house was bigger than the mansion but supposedly they still had the same sleeping arrangements. 

Rogue opened the window on the side, instead of using the balcony doors, for the sake of doing something different from the mansion. She flew back over to her nightstand for a moment to grab her gloves and then flew out the open window. She hovered above the house for a moment while she pulled on her gloves. Then she landed on the roof and moved quietly over to the ledge that oversaw the ocean. She sat and let her legs hang over the side, being careful not to swing them against the house.

She breathed in the salty air and sighed happily. _Ah'm goin' ho-ome. _She sang in her head.

She wondered for the first time in a while how much things really did change since she left. Sure, she had reminisced about how much she missed the place, but she really didn't think over how much the changes would effect her. She hadn't been given a chance to really absorb what was going on. She was at a local club for teens on the waterfront and all of a sudden this blond boy Cody was asking her to dance.

__

"Uh, dance? Ah mean, would ya like to? With me that is, together… uh…"

"Look, Ah'm really just hangin' out here." She thought it was all a joke that he and his friend had set up on the lonely girl until his face showed sincere disappointment. _"Hey, sure, why not? After all, where's the harm in one dance?"_ She smirked and walked ahead of him and his friend inside.

The next thing she knew her and Cody were dancing and he was pushed on top of her. He got up first and reached down to her extended arm to help her up. Unfortunately for the both of them, he grasped onto her wrist where her sleeve had pushed up.

Rogue snapped herself back to the present. _Cain't be thinkin' like that. You'll just chicken out of goin'._ She couldn't help but go right back to where she left off in her memory. She remember not knowing who she was and when she finally had a hold on some things, which was hard since she was being tailed by the 'X-Men', she touched Kurt. Time it was different. She had his powers and she could teleport. She loved that feeling. And what was even better was when she touched Storm. She got to fly for the first time, and what she thought would be the last. Finally, she disappeared using Kurt's power once again and got away. She found Irene and the blind woman introduced the frightened girl to Raven Darkholme., who promised to take care of her up north. All of it happened in the span of a few hours.

Had Cody ever gotten better? What had the other people at the club thought happened? "Guess Ah'll find out soon 'nuff," she mumbled somberly.

"Find out what?" Rogue whipped around and saw Remy there.

Rogue just shrugged and patted the spot next to her. He took a seat and stared out to the ocean. "Sorry I'm late. Couldn' leave 'til I beat Evan in Super Smash Brot'ers."

She laughed. "Soon yoah brain is gonna be as warped as his an' Kurt's. An' then what am Ah ta do with ya?"

"Dunno, chere. But jus' f' de sake of it, let's not find out."

"Gotcha." She pulled her legs in after feeling pins and needles in them from lack of blood flow. She crossed her legs in Indian style and leaned back on her hands.

"Kurt asked what we were plannin'."

"Oh great." She sighed. "What did he say?"

"He figure we gon' get in trouble… 'gain."

"Ah love that boy dearly, but Ah liked it betta when he wasn't playin' mah bodyguard."

"I t'ink it's sweet." He tried to hold a poker face, but a small crack of a smile peeked through.

"Don't play with me, Swamp Rat. Anyway, don't you have a brotha back home?"

"I tol' y' 'bout him?"

"Ah dunno, but remember, you've been in mah head… or Ah've been in yoah's… howevah it works." She smiled evilly and turned her attention back to the water. "Y'all packed?"

"Oui. Did a li'l aft'r de games. Ev'ryt'in' set wit de car?"

"Yah. Ah'm really excited about this. Ah cain't wait." _Except foh the fact Ah'm scared shitless…but y'all don't need ta know that._ She smiled against her internal thought.

"What time y' wan' leave?"

"Whatevah's good foh you, Remy. You're drivin'."

"Seein' as how y' actin' now, I should be gettin' some sleep. Y' gon' wan' t' leave by six -"

"Could we?" She asked eagerly.

"I was 'bout t' say dat wasn' an option. How 'bout we shoot f' somet'in' 'round nine?"

She pouted for a minute in deliberation. "Ah guess," she relented. "No later than, though."

"Okay, chere. You be at de car at nine sharp an' we leave." He stood up, tugging on one of her hands. "Y' get some sleep, too."

"Ah doubt Ah'll be able ta sleep, but Ah'll try." She smiled brightly as Remy pulled her up. "Ah'll see ya in the mornin', sugah."

"Night, chere." He kissed one of her hands and then walked over to the part of the roof with his room and leapt down onto the balcony of the room he shared with Scott.

__

Whoevah made up these arrangements is nuts. She thought jokingly as she hopped off the roof and flew to her room.

TBC…

Please r&r :o)


	3. Welcome home

DON'T EVEN THINK OF POSTING THIS BEFORE ASKING STEPH ABOUT THE CITY IN NC

Disclaimers: I own everything. Screw y'all. *Brother/ShaggyDiz taps shoulder and shakes his head* I don't? Damn. Heh… jokin about the 'screw y'all' thing… :o)

Don't own characters or Evolution, but I do own copies of the CDs mentioned. Not that accounts for anything but oh wellz. Another thing, I'm not good with time and distance… I'm also not sure if they speak with a full out Rogue/Southern accent in Georgia (because I don't think they do in Florida…). This is what I get for being a Philly girl. :o) 

One more thing (haha jackie chan adventure fans): a reviewer mentioned that Xavier wiped the minds of the people in Caldecott so Rogue would be safe… umm, I didn't quite follow that here if that's what happened. (An' if it did, heh, *shrugs*)

****

Going Home – Chapter 3

As Rogue had predicted, she barely got any sleep. Instead, she spent the night staring at the ceiling with an occasional glance to her alarm clock. Her heavy eyelids dropped for the last time around 4:30, but Rogue soon snapped them open again. She sat up in bed and checked her clock. _Only quarter aftah six!_

Hastily, she threw her covers off her body and rubbed out the crick in her neck. Since this _was_ vacation for the X-teens, no one would be expected to be up for at least 2 hours. There were some early birds always, like Ororo, but even the professor took advantage of the tranquility of Cape Hatteras. 

Rogue hovered over her bed and flew over out of the room to the bathroom. If a nice warm – long – bath couldn't quell her high strung nerves, even for a while, then nothing would.

An hour and a half and a bottle of Storm's special all natural bubble bath later, Rogue emerged from the bathroom with extra 'pruny' fingers and toes. She felt more energized, but not as nervous. "Time foh Remy ta wake up," she whispered as she headed for his room.

She tapped lightly on the door, so as not to wake Scott. She figured Gambit would be up since they were leaving in a little more than an hour. Hearing nothing but the mattress creaking under one of the boys, she pushed open the door and peeked in. First she saw Scott, with his sunglasses strapped on by a band around his head. He lay on his back with his head lulled to one direction, facing Rogue. He breathed deeply with his lips parted slightly. "An' what a charmer he is," she murmured, remembering their first school project. She had thought she had a crush on him then, but after meeting Remy, that feeling had been chased away.

On the thought of her Cajun boyfriend, she stepped into the room and glanced to the bed opposite Scott's. Unlike their leader, Remy was practically falling off the bed. He was sprawled out across the double bed with his arm hanging off and his head was lying close to the edge as well. He'd kicked off his sheets, despite the central air running through the house. As always, he was shirtless, donning only a pair of pajama pants. Rogue tip toed over to his bed, tightening her bathrobe along the way.

"Remy?" She whispered as she kneeled down next to his bed. Cursing to herself for not bringing gloves, she reached out to his discarded blanket. After making sure her hands were concealed, she prodded him gently. "C'mon, Swamp Rat. We got an hour 'til we leave," she hissed close to his ear.

"Go 'way…" he grumbled. "Y' fly down. Let Remy sleep."

"Don't make me pull ya outta bed, mistuh. You said we were leavin' at nine sharp."

He lazily picked his head off his pillow and checked his clock. "Yes, I said dat, but right now is only 7:58. Remy has an hour." He shut his eyes again, half from sleep and the other half from the light pouring in from the window. He rolled over away from Rogue. A small smile appeared on his face. Oh, he was awake all right, but the morning was never complete without annoying the hell out of Rogue.

"Fine, Ah'm not gonna fight with ya. Ah'll just leave now an' fly like ya said." She got up from her kneeling position on the floor and strode right back out of the room, pulling the blanket half way with her.  
"Oops." He scrambled out of bed and ran out after her as quietly as he could. "Chere!" He called to her once he got out into the hall.

She stopped in her tracks and whipped around, gray-green eyes blaring. "What?"

"Y' know I was jus' jokin'."  
"Remy, Ah really didn't wanna joke 'round this mornin'. Ah wanted ta get ya outta bed so you could get ready so we could get rollin'. This means a lot ta me, if ya didn't notice."

He killed the space between them. "I know. I go shower right now, eh? An' I'll be ready at nine like we said before."

"An' what am Ah supposed ta do foh that hour?" She pouted.

"Dunno, make us lunches or somethin'. Play video games." He laughed at the last one. "Jus' don' be bored. Go wit Stormy on her walk. She should be up by now."

"All raht. Go an' get ready. You're wastin' time." She smiled softly and then walked away. Remy sighed, shaking off his own smile and stepped into the bathroom.

An hour later, Rogue had packed up the car, made lunches like Remy asked and did accompany Ororo on her morning walk/fly. Storm led her out past the beach and a good mile over the ocean. Seeing land so far away really awestruck Rogue, and for that little while she forgot about her trip.

But now she was back at the car, sitting anxiously in the passenger seat. She had gotten the keys out of the glove compartment and started up the car. She kept side glancing the clock as well whenever she switched stations. 8:58. "Dammit," she sighed in a sing-songy voice.

Rogue finally got tired of flipping through the station she didn't know so she slipped her Garbage _Version 2.0_ CD into the player. As the first beats played to "Temptation Waits," she cranked it up, but not without checking the clock first. "He's got one minute," she muttered under the music.

Not able to be heard over the music, Kurt appeared with Remy behind the car. Remy walked around the car to the driver's side while Kurt moved to talk to Rogue. She was in the middle of singing when she saw Remy in the corner of her eye.

She immediately perked up. "Foh a second there Ah thought ya weren't gonna make it."

Remy grinned back, but then looked to Kurt patiently waiting for a chance to say goodbye to his sister.

Rogue turned around, her eyes warming up more to her blue brother's presence. She stood up and wrapped him in a hug, carefully avoiding the contact of her bare skin with his face and neck. "Doncha get mushy on me, Kurt. Ah'll be fine."

He laughed. "I'm getting mushy? Excuse me, who started up zis hug?"

She pulled away. "Whatevah, Elf. Anyway, Remy told me what ya said last night. We'll be fine. What could harm us down there?" She smiled reassuringly.

"Zen I won't tell you to be careful because it's not needed, ja?"

"'Course not." She flipped around and checked the clock. 9:02. "Well, we hafta get goin' if we wanna get there at a reasonable time."

Kurt nodded. "I'll let ze others know you left vhen zhey vake up."

"Thanks, Kurt." She kissed her gloved fingertip and pressed it to his blue nose. "You be good."

"I should say ze same for you."

She slid back into her seat. "See ya Kurt!" He waved to her and Remy before disappearing in a cloud of gray and pink. She turned to Remy. "Let's get rollin', Swamp Rat." She turned the music even louder as "I Think I'm Paranoid" started up. Remy put the car in drive and pulled away from the beach house in a squeal of dust.

The sun was hitting high noon and the two X-teens had just crossed over into Georgia. Rogue had since pulled off her jacket and used it as a pillow to fall asleep on. For the last half an hour, it had only been Remy and the road as Rogue got the sleep she needed. The air was getting considerably thicker as they traveled south. Remy pressed a few buttons and slowly the cover to the convertible rose over them and shut into place. The sun was getting worse and he didn't think Rogue had put on any sunscreen. And knowing how much she avoided sun in the first place, she would burn easy. The windows were left open, because the warm air never bothered him much at all.

Around one o'clock, after they had gotten through most of Georgia, they made a pit stop. Remy carefully took one of Rogue's hands and squeezed it gently. "C'mon, chere. Time t' go t' de bathroom."

Her eyes opened and she wearily looked around at their surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Almost in t' Alabama." He checked the map. "We should prob'ly be dere in mebbe t'ree hours. I'm figurin' N'awlins is 'bout t'ree an' a half hours 'way."

"Sounds good." She pulled on her jacket. "Ah hate ta hafta wear this."

"I know. Jus' for a couple minutes." She nodded, still partially asleep and pushed open her door, hit with a new wave of heat.

"Damn, Ah fohgot how hot it gets down here. Can't wait till we're by the river. It's great." She stepped out of the car and walked around to Remy's extended hand. 

They walked into the service station, which was one of those tiny plazas with lots of selections to eat and places to buy souvenirs. Rogue looked at the ladies' room. A line, as always. "Remy, Ah'm gonna be a couple minutes," she said, motioning to the ever-growing line. He nodded and let go of her hand, seeking out the men's room as well.

Rogue walked over and stood in the back of the line that stretched about 10 feet out of the actual bathroom. Who knew how much longer she'd have to wait when she passed through the doorway that led into it. She crossed her arms and huddled to herself. _Hate havin' this many people around. This is just as bad as sittin' in an elevator with twenty strangers. _The woman in front of her had a little girl with her, maybe about six. She looked at Rogue with curiosity. Rogue then figured how much of an outcast she must have looked like. In the eighty-five plus degree weather, everyone had pulled out their tank tops and shorts, while Rogue stood in her navy jacket with her black wind pants, not to mention gloves.

"Mommy," the little girl asked, tugging on her mother's hand. "Why is that girl wearin' so much?" The mother, as casually as she could, glanced over her shoulder to check out what her daughter was talking about. She saw Rogue in her get-up and then quickly adverted her attention forward again. 

"Hush, baby. Don't you be worryin' 'bout anyone else but yoahself, ya hear?" She hissed as she pulled her daughter closer to her side and advanced up in line as much as she could. Rogue just stood silently. _If Ah'm not hated foh bein' a mutant, it's foh dressin' funny._ She glanced around for Remy. He had taken the liberty of getting her a bottle of water and was getting himself a soda at the Burger King.

Five minutes later, she was finally out of the bathroom and clear of the myriad of women of all ages staring her down. She all but ran out of the bathroom, careful not to brush into any of the women still waiting. She found Remy waiting by one of the machine-type gum dispensers. "Ready?" He asked.

"More than ready," she responded eagerly. She grabbed the water bottle of out his hand and with her other hand snatched his now empty hand and dragged him out of the service station.

When they were near the car, Remy finally spoke up. "Wan' tell me what dat was about, chere?"

"Give me a second." She ripped off the cap to the water bottle and took a huge gulp. "Okay. Ah feel bettah now." He just raised an eyebrow and waited for her explanation. She let out a deep sigh. "Ah really don't feel like talkin' about it, but seein' as ya're not movin' us anywhere, Ah got no choice."

"Usually y' would jus' said dat y' wouldn' wait f'me an' jus' fly. Now I know somet'in's up."

"This li'l gal, she saw me with mah clothes… she didn't mean anythin' by it, but the look her momma gave me." She didn't wait for his reaction. She just opened the door and flung herself inside, already peeling off her coat.

Remy got in more slowly, trying not to be in the path of the jacket that was now tossed to the backseat. It hit the seat with a loud thud. He sat down, cautious about making eye contact with her. He turned his head sluggishly, squinting his eyes underneath his sunglasses. "Chere?"

"What?" she snapped.

"It don' matter what happened in dere, alright?"

"Don't you see, Remy? That's prob'ly how everyone back home is gonna act."

"Hey," he took her hand in his, forcing her to look him. "Y' not gon' let dis stop y' from goin' back. We are not turnin' dis car 'round and wastin' anot'er four hours on de road jus' 'cause y' hate de clothes y' wear. It never bot'ered y' b'fore, an' it ain' gon' start now, okay?"

She remained still for a moment before dropping her head in defeat. "Ah'm sorry."

"Don' be sorry," he said with a lighter tone. "Y' jus' learnin'. 'Member dat. Y' pretty much only been in contact wit' people up north who can stand seein' someone dress in full like y' do. Down here it gon' be a li'l tougher t' fool 'em."

She nodded again and then pulled her hand out of his. She reached back for the bag she had made full of their lunches. "Ya want some food?"

"Sure." He smiled as he accepted one of the sandwiches.

After going through another one of Rogue's CDs (Ozzy Osbourne's _The Ozzman Cometh_), they had made it across Alabama and were slowly making it into Mississippi. Remy checked the clock as he flipped around the stations, trying to find some sort of jazz music. "Rogue's its goin' on 3:30."

She had been lazily gazing out the window, trying to take in as much of the muggy air as possible. "How long do ya think it's gonna be?"

"Might be dere by 5, not sure. I have a question, dough."

She sat up and looked to him. "Yah?"

"Where x'actly are we stayin'? Did de prof give y' some money for a motel or somet'in'?"

"He gave me what Ah would've spent in North Carolina. He gave me yoah money too, but Ah was thinkin' that we first see Irene… she shouldn't mind if we stay with her."

"Wit' Irene?"

"Yah. Ya don't mind, do you? She shouldn't really have any hostility towards us… hell, she prob'ly knows we're gonna ask her ta stay already."

"'Cause y' said she was a precognitionary-type person, non?"

"Yah, Ah think anyway from what Ah got outta Mystique."

"Not'er question."

"Shoot."

"Don' t'ink she called Mystique t' tell her we comin' down here?"

"Maybe she did. Won't mattah. Ah ain't turnin' this visit in ta anotha fight 'tween me an' her. If she does end up bein' down there an' waitin' foh us, we'll just stay somewhere else, no problem."

Remy nodded as he switched lanes. "Y' ev'r t'ink of maybe jus' spendin' time wit' her?"

"Ah did, when Ah was part of the Brothahood," she responded in a matter of fact tone.

"Non, I meant… jus' you two, an' maybe Kurt."

She sighed. "Yah, Ah've thought about it. Ah nevah thought it could work out though. There's so much bad blood now."

"Den jus' get ov'r it. She is y' mot'er after all."

"Since when are ya playin' mah shrink?" she sneered.

He grinned out at the road. "Since y' won' tell anybody else what's goin' t'rough dat head o' yours but me."

"Oh y'all're so funny. Ha-ha-ha." She swung her head in sync with her fake laughs. Internally, she thought over Remy's words well. Maybe it was time that they got over their feuding. They never fought when she was part of the Brotherhood… well, except for that time in the geology trip. _Think about what Remy said, gal. He's got a point. Just grow up an' maybe Mystique will too._

"What do ya think the othahs are doin' now?" She asked, just to break the silence and mainly to change the subject.

"Knowin' dem, Kurt an' Evan prob'ly jus' got in from de pool an' are sittin' down t' anot'er 2 hours of N64. Kitty is prob'ly tannin' wit' Stormy. An' my last gues' is dat Jeannie dragged Scott in t' town for shoppin'." He beamed, thinking how correct he probably was.  
Rogue stifled a giggle. "What about Xavier?"

"He's a harder one… I guess he be readin' or somet'in'. Don' see him 'nuff t' make an accurate guess."

"Yah. You're prob'ly raht 'bout the readin' thing. But Ah think he mainly does that at night. Maybe he's swimmin' laps? He still does like ta work his upper body."

Remy shrugged. "Possibility." 

"Ah'm tryin' ta think of what we would be doin' if we were still there."

"Y' still gon' try an' work on dat skin tone y' call a tan?"

She narrowed her eyes on him in a playful way. "Ya should be happy Ah even dare ta wear a bikini 'round all o' y'all. Thank gawd it's a private beach."

"Hey, dat camouflage one is real nice, chere." He chuckled. She thought about throwing her jacket at him, but decided against it since she really didn't want him to lose control of the car. She did promise to bring it back in one piece after all.

Two hours and forty-five minutes later, the butterflies in Rogue's stomach had appeared again as they reached the border between Mississippi and Louisiana. "Ah cain't believe how close we are."

"Y' know, if y' get too sick t' go, we can just ov'rshoot it an' take a trip t' N'awlins."

"Thought ya were banished?"

"I have my ways. I was jus' banished from de guild. Can' keep me from de Big Easy f'ever."

"If things don't go all that well in Caldecott, we just might do that then." She smiled. 

After driving south for another few minutes, they got off the highway. The road off the highway immediately became familiar to Rogue as they drove by the outskirts of Caldecott. Even the smallest gas station brought a smile to her face. The biggest smile of all came when they drove by a dusty sign off the side of the road that read: "Welcome to Caldecott County, Mississippi."

"Holy shit, we made it!" She practically shrieked. 

"You jus' tell me where t' go."

Rogue gave him directions to Irene's house, but not without pointing every little landmark along the way. "Look! That's the playground, an' mah old school…" She went on and on, pointing out the most absurd things. Remy thought for a minute that she had de-aged about ten years and was pointing out everything in a candy store. But he knew that this was her home and she was merely showing it off. They drove a little bit closer to Irene's and they came across the river. "There it is. Aftah we see Irene, we're definitely stoppin' there. Ah wanna show ya everythin'." Her tone calmed a little bit. Remy thought she may have been remembering something bad, but a smile was still apparent on her features.

"Turn here. Irene's is just a couple blocks down." Remy nodded as he turned left and drove down the street. After passing a few short streets, Rogue whispered and pointed, "Raht here." 

Remy pulled up to the small gray house, with its white shutters and oak tree in the front yard. Rogue put on her jacket and checked the mirror a thousand times to make sure she looked all right. "Y' ready for dis, chere?"

Rogue put on her best smile. "Yup. C'mon." She opened the door and stepped out, straightening her pants and stretching slightly. _An' I t'ought dis Irene femme was blind… Rogue seems t' be puttin' a lot t' her image._ She walked around the car and grabbed Remy's hand, trying her best not to squeeze it too hard in her mix of excitement and nervousness. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself.

Remy just shook his head at all her antics. "Chere, it be okay."  
"Ah know. Ah'm definitely ready though." She tugged on his hand and led him up the path to the porch. Rogue raised her fist to the door and held it steady for a moment before knocking. The knock came out a bit louder than Rogue would have liked, given her strength. She let out a nervous giggle. "Shoulda used the doorbell." She muttered. Remy just gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

A few moments later the door swung open and a woman wearing sunglasses and holding a cane stepped out. "Yes?"

"Hi, Irene. It's me."

"Rogue?"

"Mm-hmm," she answered shyly. 

The woman smiled. "Come on in, then! I've been waiting for you all day!" She reached out for Rogue's hand, which the teen graciously took hold of. Still holding Remy's hand with her other hand, she followed Irene into the house.

It smelled of potpourri of many different kinds and the rooms were dim. "Here, sit." Irene tapped her cane to one of the small couches in the living room. "Would either of you like a drink?"

Remy sat, while Rogue still stood. "Let me, Irene. Remy, ya want a Coke or somethin'?"

"Dat'll be great, chere." He smiled.

"Ah'll be raht back, then." She let go of Remy's hand and disappeared into the kitchen. _Everythin' is all the same. Ah wondah if mah room is still the way Ah left it._ She wandered around the kitchen a bit before actually going into the refrigerator to retrieve the cans of soda. She didn't mean to snoop in any way, she just wanted to see what her former guardian had been up to.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Irene had taken a seat near the window in one of the upholstered chairs. She didn't at all stare in Remy's direction, and remained quiet for a moment. Remy, on the other hand, gazed around the room, exploring for himself. _So dis is where Roguey grew up. No wonder she don' like video games. Dere ain' a TV here._ He mentally laughed.

"Remy, right?"

"Oui," he replied, turning his attention to Irene.

"Where are you from, if I may ask?"

"N'awlins, ma'am." _May have t' turn de charm on dis femme if my politeness don' work._ He joked to himself.

"Just as I had thought. It's interesting that both you and Rogue are from the South and how you found each other."

"Yeah." _Where is she goin' wit' dis? She testin' me t' see if I'm a good boyfriend or somet'in'?_

She switched the legs she had crossed. "How are things with Xavier? I know that things didn't turn out so good for her with Mystique."

"She likes it dere, I guess." 

There was a pause. "Between you and me, I advised Raven against the absorption of Miss Danvers."

"Wit' all due respect, ma'am, but I don' t'ink Mystique cared all dat much."

"Ah'm back." Rogue said happily as she returned back in the living room with two glasses filled with Coke. "You didn't want anythin', raht Irene?"

"No thank you, dear." She smiled, not changing the direction of her face.

Rogue took a seat next to Remy as she handed him his glass. He gratefully accepted it and took a gulp. Something about Irene didn't sit right with him, but he was too afraid to shatter Rogue's spirits by bringing it up. "Irene, Ah have a favor ta ask of ya."

"Anything, child." 

"Ah was wonderin' if we could stay here foh a couple days. If it's too much troub –"

"Of course you can stay here. I would actually be more relieved if you did instead of a motel."

Rogue nodded appreciatively. "Thank ya so much. Ah have anotha question."

Irene looked to the direction of her voice as acknowledgement. 

"Is mah room still the same?"

Irene cracked another smile. "Yes. I didn't dare touch it. I always had the feeling that it would be needed again."

Rogue got up and proceeded to give the woman a hug. "Ah wanna go look at it. C'mon, Remy!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto his feet, but then flew ahead of him upstairs. He walked slowly for a second, staring at Irene out of the corner of his eye, but then followed her up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Irene listened for a moment to make sure they were in Rogue's room and then got up and felt her way over to the table where a phone sat. She picked it up and dialed a number she had dialed many times before. After three rings, the other person finally picked up.

"It's Irene. I told you she was coming down."

__

"Did she just arrive?"

"Yes, Raven. You really should come down. It would be good for her to see you here in a non-hostile place, while she's away from the rest of the team. She wouldn't –"

__

"-feel the pressure to be assertive against me. I know, Irene. We've gone through this a hundred and ten times. How long is she staying?"

"A couple days at most. When can you make it down?"

__

"I should be there by the morning. I have a few loose ends to tie up here."

"I would hurry. Something bad is going to happen. I had this image… It was so fuzzy, but it happened by the river."

__

"Are you sure you're not having a flashback of the night her powers manifested?"

"I don't have flashbacks, Raven." She laughed to lighten her tone after realizing how stern she sounded. It was the truth though. "I have to go. I don't want Rogue to know that I contacted you."

__

"Very well. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodbye, Raven." Irene hung up the phone and then took her seat near the window once again. She felt another image coming. She hoped that it would answer some foggy messages running through her mind.

Rogue raced up to her room almost blindly. She reached the door and took a deep breath. She perked her ears when she heard footsteps behind her. "Remy?"

"Oui, where y' at?" 

"Ovah here. Turn left at the stairs." He hit the last step, which Rogue remembered always had that extra creak. He finally made it behind her.

"What're y' watin' for, chere?"

"Ah wanted ya ta see it with me." She didn't wait for his reaction, just proceeded to turn the doorknob her gloved hand had been resting on for the last minute and pushed the door open gently. It swung open with a small squeal at the hinges. Rogue stood silent for a moment before walking through the arch.

"Chere… it's, umm, pink."

She laughed. "Don't remind me. It looked all raht in the black light though. Ah'll hafta show ya the show when it gets darker." Remy nodded and walked over to her bed, sitting down on the edge. 

"Well, I c'n say dat I wasn' expectin' dis."

"It's just a room, Remy."

"Rogue… y' have teddy bears. Y' don' have any teddy bears at de mansion!" He picked one up by the pillows. "Dis one's purple!" He was on the brink of bursting out in tears from withholding his laughter.

She snatched it away from him. "Ah shoulda known ya woulda reacted this way." Despite her foul demeanor towards him, she held the stuffed animal with the utmost care. "If ya must know, Irene decorated. Ah know this sounds like a load of bull ta save mah own ass from embarrassment, but she decorated mah room befoh Ah came ta live with her."  
"Sure, blame ev'ryt'in' on de blind femme." He snorted through his grin. "S'okay, chere. I won' tell de ot'ers. But one promise?"

She nonchalantly hugged the bear for a moment. "What?"

"Y' gotta bring dat one back."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "An' what if Ah don't?"

"Y' talkin' t' me, Rogue. Don' t'ink one of dese ain' goin' back wit' us. Look," he picked up another one. "He needs y' love!" He shoved the bear in her direction.

"Oh, don't even!" She said, an amused grin leaking onto her face. She threw the purple bear at him, which for good measure, he didn't bother attempting to snatch it mid-air. It collided with his head and he fell backwards on the bed in defeat.

"Damn, dis bed is comfy. I don' t'ink de ones at de mansion are as comfortable as dis."

Rogue appeared by his side with a sly smile on her face. "An' ta think it ain' even been broken in."

"Chere, please…" He grabbed another stuffed animal and covered its ears. "Not in front of de bears!"

"Ah ain't touchin' that one. C'mon," she said, taking his hand and hauling him off the bed. "Ah'm gonna tell Irene that we're goin' out foh dinnah."

"We are?"

"'Course. Ah wanna let ya in on a li'l secret." She leaned in as close to his ear as she dared. "'Rene ain' the best cook in the world. An' that way we'll be in a good part of town."

"How much are y' gon' show me t'night?"

"As much as Ah can. But we're definitely goin' ta the river. Ain't no way 'round that."

"Didn' t'ink dere would be." He smiled. She walked him out of the room, shutting the door behind her. 

On the way down the stairs, she called "Irene?"

Irene looked away from the window and in the direction of the stairs. "Yes, dear?"

"We're gonna go inta town… get dinner an' check out some stuff."

"Be careful. I've seen some strange things these past couple days."

"Ya sound like mah brotha."

"I didn't realize he watched out for you."

"Yah. It's amazing what'll bring people tahgetha." Rogue cut her sentence short. She had wanted to say "especially with a momma like Mystique," but decided not to mention her blue skinned mother at all this trip.

"Oh. That's great though." She smiled warmly. "You two have fun. Don't get back too late."

"We won't. The latest we'll be back is eleven." She led Remy to the front door. "Bye 'Rene." 

"G'bye, ma'am." He said as the door shut behind him. 

They walked to the car in silence. Rogue walked around to the passenger side and watched as Remy stared blankly at the car. "Remy… somethin' buggin' ya?"

"Hmm?" He glanced up to her concerned face. "It be weird."

She opened the door to the car. "Tell me about it in the car. Ah'm sure it's nothin'." She smiled reassuringly and disappeared into the car.

Remy glanced back to the house. Irene was still sitting at the window. He fought back a shiver and climbed into the car. "Y' want de roof down, chere?"

"Sure." She stretched out luxuriously as he mechanically pressed the button to fold the roof down. "Wanna tell me what's buggin' ya?"

"I dunno how t' explain it… when y' were in de kitchen, Irene started talkin' t' me." He laughed, feeling kind of foolish for bring this up with her. "It seemed like she saw 'lot o' me… not anyt'in' good wit' de way she was talkin' 'bout me. Den she said some ot'er stuff…" He trailed off as he put the car in drive and pulled away from the house. As Rogue did earlier, he didn't wish to bring up Mystique at all unless necessary. The trip wasn't about her. Especially Irene trying to play like she was on their side.

"Ah think Ah see where ya're goin' with this. Befoh Ah knew Ah was a mutant, Ah didn't know that she was one eithah. An' she would always be warnin' me an' stuff ta the fullest extent. Hell, she even knew what type of mutation Ah had so Ah would be safe. Ah've worn head ta toe clothin' since junior high." She shrugged it off casually.

"I dunno, chere. It's jus' weird. Guess I'm not used t' havin' people who can see de future 'round me."

"Ah find Irene more comfortin' than two telepaths if ya ask me." She smiled and put her hand over his on the stick shifter.

He grinned at her motion and decided to drop the Irene topic. "So where to, p'tite?"

She checked the clock. It was going on six o'clock. "Is it too early ta eat?"

Rogue directed Remy around the small town for almost 15 minutes before finding a small place to eat. It was a pizzeria close to the river. Remy couldn't help but notice how empty the place was, and whoever was there gave Rogue a not-quite-so-inconspicuous look over before returning back to their meals. It seemed to him that she strode in with as much confidence as she had back home, which after he though about it, wasn't as much as he had originally thought.

She did, however, pick one of the farthest back booths. She slid into the seat and looked to Remy to sit across from her. Once they were both seated and comfortable, Rogue whispered, "Remy?"

"Oui, chere?"

"Should Ah have come back?" She glanced towards the front of the restaurant. "Ah think it's kinda obvious they know who Ah am."

"Don' worry 'bout it. If it gets real bad, we'll jus' leave." He smiled.

She didn't look too convinced. "This is feelin' like a big mistake ta me. Just a stupid dream Ah didn't realize wouldn't work until Ah actually got down here."

"Rogue, y' know in y' heart dat y' wanted t' come back. If y' didn', y' would jus' keep wonderin' what could've happened an' if t'ings could've been different."

"Ah guess…"

"Hey," he said as he got out of his seat and slid next to her. He pulled off his sunglasses and found her eyes. "If y' feel dat bad 'bout dis place, let's jus' go an' find a McDonald's."

"There ain't a McDonald's here, Rem." The corners of her mouth curled into a smirk.

"Do y' really wan' leave?"

"Here?" He nodded and she sighed. "No."

"Den let's order." He put his sunglasses on again and called to the waitress. She sauntered over and made small talk with Remy before he actually ordered. "I'll have a Coke, what 'bout you, chere?" He turned to the quiet Rogue.

"Ah'll have a Sprite," she mumbled without looking up. When Remy was all but flirting with the waitress, Rogue had glanced up and recognized her as Deb, one of the popular girls from her old school.

"Y'all from the south?" The waitress asked as she scribbled in her notepad.

"I'm from N'awlins." Deb giggled at his accent, while Rogue snorted. "Ma femme here is from 'round here." Rogue thought about kicking him very hard for mentioning that.

"Really?" She snapped her gum and shifted her weight onto one hip. "What part?"

Still without looking up and trying to look as small as possible, Rogue answered, "Western Caldecott."

"That is so great! Ah am too!"

"Ain't that somethin'," she mumbled.

"So what brings ya back here?"

"Ah'm just visitin' mah… aunt." Somehow the words 'former guardian' didn't ring right.

"Cool. Wait a sec, Ah'll be back with yoah drinks." She walked away, leaving Rogue particularly relieved.

"Ah thought she would nevah leave." She leaned back in her seat even further.

"Aww, it wasn' dat bad."

"Cuz she didn't realize who Ah was. Which is really confusin' because who wouldn' recognize a life suckin' teenage gal with white forelocks." In annoyance, she blew the stray lock away from her face. It fell back in place immediately.

"Didn' seem like it matt'red t' her. 'Course, y' didn' let her see y' at all. Y' were hidin' behind me de whole time."

"Raht." She kept her head down, staring down into her lap. Not before long, Deb returned. She put down a glass in front of Remy, not without giving him her best smile. Then she reached across him to put down Rogue's Sprite. "An' here's yoah –" She glanced at Rogue for the first time in over six months. "Oh mah…" Her face turned paler than Rogue's normal shade. "W-what're ya doin' back? Yoah kind isn't wanted here." The paleness turned into red with anger and hatred.

__

Oh, merde. Dis ain' good. Remy put his arm between Rogue and the waitress before the blonde didn't something she regretted. "P'tite, we be goin' now." He pulled out a five dollar bill from his pocket with his free hand. "C'mon, chere." He tugged Rogue's hand, while she still kept a timid yet demeaning glare in the waitress. 

"What? Are you a freakin' mutie, too?" She sneered.

"Matt'r o' face," Remy began as he slid off his sunglasses, revealing his strange eyes. "I am. An' unless y' wan' find out how dangerous I can get when snot bigots like y'self mess wit' ma p'tite, den you'll let us leave wit'out a problem."

Deb kept her cold glare on the couple but stepped out of the way. Remy stepped out of the booth with Rogue trailing right behind him. She avoided the icy gazes of everyone in the pizzeria and quickly left.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," she chanted as she kept walking. "Ah told ya this was a bad idea. Didn't Ah tell ya this was a bad idea? We should just go back ta Bayville… who cares 'bout the othahs. Dammit Ah need ta get outta here." She sounded like Pietro with how fast she was spitting out words.

"Chere, y' sound like y' need a cigarette." He laughed, trying to stop her from taking off. He had her tugging on one arm and his free one was reaching into his pocket.

"Ah told ya not ta do that anymore!"

"An' I don'." He pulled out his sunglasses. "How 'bout dis: we take de car, go t' de grocery store, an' get some sort o' food. Den we'll go by de river…" he said soothingly as he drew her into an embrace. "An' we'll eat dere an' stay f'de sunset, eh?"

"Ah guess we could do that… Ah'll wait in the car though." She smiled slightly. "Thank ya, Remy." She hugged him back. "Seems like ya always know what ta say."

"Anyt'in' f'you. Y' know dat." He kissed the top of her head and the pulled away, walking in the direction of the car. Rogue followed slowly, taking quick glimpses around. _Was this really a mistake?_ She asked herself for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.

Remy carefully made sure his sunglasses were on right so no one in the small neighborhood store would be freaked out anymore than they had to be. He left Rogue in the car against his wishes, but figured she was safer in there than in the semi-crowded grocery store. And if she were to be attacked, which was highly unlikely, it would be nothing she couldn't handle.

He pushed open the door and a little bell jingled. He laughed to himself about how primitive Caldecott was. Fortunately, he didn't have trouble from anyone while he getting selected items to eat and drink. He knew the customers were probably wondering why anyone would wear sunglasses indoors, but no one made mention of it to him directly. He just purchased his items and walked out, giving the cashier a dazzling smile for good measure.

Rogue sat low in the convertible. Even with the roof up and the tinted windows she felt out in the open. She glanced around behind her own pair of sunglasses, checking for anyone that could be suspicious or aware of her existence in Caldecott. She was sure Deb from the pizzeria had called all her little prep friends to let them know that 'the freak' is back.

She shuddered at the thought. _A freak_. She wasn't welcome in her hometown. And apparently people still talked about her. _Six friggin' months an' Ah still cain't find mah peace._

She sighed sadly and slouched even more in her seat at the sight of a person walking by the car. Not anyone in particular or familiar, but knowing how word traveled in her town, that guy knew about her too.

Feeling slightly bored and a little anxious at being alone, she reached into the glove compartment for Scott's cell phone. Rogue had realized she hadn't given it back to him when she was looking for her sunglasses earlier that day. She figured he wouldn't mind too much if she called anyone since the Professor picked up all the bills.

She weighted the phone in her hand for a moment. "Who ta call…" Well, there was one person she hadn't said goodbye to at the beach house… She dialed a number she knew by heart, grinning evilly.

__

"What d'ya want, Cyke?" A gruff voice said.

"Hey, Logan. It's me."

__

"Rogue? Aren't ya in Hickville or somethin'?" He laughed.

"Ha-ha, funny. It's Caldecott, thank ya very much."

__

"How is it so far?"

"Umm…"

__

"Shit. Knew I shoulda came along."

"No! Ah mean, Ah had a run-in with some bitch from mah old school an' it got ugly. Ah just wanted ta tell y'all we might be back sooner than Friday if this keeps up."

__

"I see. Where's Gumbo?"

"Gettin' some food from the store. He suggested a picnic. What's everyone up ta there?"

__

"The usual. The girls are at the beach an' the boys're swimmin'. Ya sure ya don't want me to come down? I ain't missin' anythin' by not bein' here."

"No, Logan. It's okay, really. Just a bumpy start."

He sighed heavily into the phone. "Fine. But if somethin' does-"

"-Ah know, Ah know. Let ya know. Seriously, Logan. If it ain't Kurt than it's you."

__

"Tough shit. Unless you can get away from both of us, yer stuck with us as yer bodyguards."

"That's relieving." She glanced up at the sight of someone else. "Hey, Ah'm gonna go, Remy's back. Ya wanna say hi?"

__

"Nah. Stay outta trouble, kid."

She laughed. "An' what if this so-called 'trouble' comes lookin' foh me?" As she said that, Remy got in the car and dumped his bags in the back seat. She smiled and held up a finger to keep him quiet as he saw her on the phone with an estranged look on his face. "It's Wolvie," she mouthed.

He took his seat and grinned.

__

"I'm bein' serious, Rogue."

"If ya're still blamin' yoahself foh the whole 'me-an'-Remy-bein'-captured-an'-taken-ta-Seattle-by-a-lunatic-geneticist', please get ovah it. We all know that was our fault, not yoahs."

He just grumbled in response.

"Ah'm gonna go. Tell the prof. we made it down okay an' we'll call on our way home. Tell everyone hi foh us. An' tell Kurt ta stop worryin'." She snickered.

__

"All right."

"Thank ya, Wolvie. Ah'll call ya if Ah need… umm… 'Logan' help."

__

"Okay. Bye, Rogue."

"See ya." She clicked the phone off.

"What in da hell made y' call him?" Remy asked disbelievingly. 

"Ah dunno. He's mah second best friend ta you, ya know."

"'Course I know dat." He smiled his dazzling grin. "Y' ready t' go?" She nodded happily. "Y' tell me where t' go den."

"Gotcha. Ya wanna make a left on the way outta here…"

Rogue and Gambit settled at Rogue's favorite spot by the river. There was a small clearing of the trees where the sun could be seen straight on till the horizon. "Seems t' me y' have a t'ing for sunsets."

"Was it that obvious? Damn, mah secret is out!" She put her hands to her face in dismay. Then she laughed a little before her face went serious. "Ah hid here till the sun went down that night. Ah ran from Ty in the club and hid here an' wanted ta cry. Ah didn't know who Ah was. An' Cody wouldn't have cried. He toughed things out like the football player he was. That's what kept me runnin'." She shuddered weakly at the memory.

Remy instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "S'okay, chere. T'ings are way bett'r now."

She pulled away. "Are they really though? Ah'm grateful foh everythin' Ah've gotten up north, but Ah still don't belong there. This is mah home an' Ah want things ta be the way they were… befoh Ah had these damn powers." She looked down at her hands. "Ah hate gettin' all whiny, but…gawd. Ah hate talkin' about this."

"Rogue, I like when y' talk 'bout dis stuff. Tell y' de truth, we got a lot t' learn 'bout each ot'er."

"Ya're tellin' me. Not everyday psycho betrothed ex-girlfriends pop in ta see ya."

"Hey! Dat only happened once!" He put his hands up in defense, all the while smiling.

She mirrored his smile. "So, am Ah ta expect anotha one soon or somethin'?"

"Not at all." He smirked again, then he set down their bags of food. "Sorry I don' have a checkered blanket t' make it more traditional."

"Ah'm fine with the grass, Swamp Rat. Let's eat." They spent the next half an hour or so eating in silence, only hearing the gentle current of the river and other nature sounds. Rogue felt immediately at peace and Remy saw her relax like none other time he had seen her. She lay lazily against a tree, munching slowly and tranquilly on her sandwich. Her eyes just focused on one part of the water, watching it flow by.

"Ah wanna go climbin'," she said suddenly.

He just smiled. "Den go for it, chere."

She put the rest of her food down on one of the plastic bags and walked a couple feet down to a selected tree that had branches suspended over the water. She grabbed two of the branches and hoisted herself up the normal way, when Gambit thought she would have just skipped it and flew up. Once she reached a sturdy branch, she crawled down it to wear it hung over the river. Then she sat, dangling her legs over each side. She raised her arms up as if she would fly like a bird and threw her head back and sighed. "This is what Ah used ta do all the time. Back then Ah would just pretend Ah could fly if Ah jumped off this branch. One time Ah actually tried and ended up with a face full of water." She laughed at the memory. "Kinda ironic now that Ah can fly."

Remy was down by the trunk of the tree. "Y' want me t' come up dere too?"

She nodded. "Sure. Ya gotta see things from up here. It ain't much, but foh you, it's not every day ya get ta see somethin' from up high."

"Chere, we go on de roof all the time."

"Ya know what Ah mean, Swamp Rat. Get up here." He followed her example before and grabbed the branches as she had. Soon he was up, leaning against the trunk of the tree on the same branch. "Ya gonna come down here by the river?"

"Don' y' t'ink it'll break wit' both our weight on it?"

"If ya want, Ah'll hover next to it, so ya won't fall off if ya're so scared." She smiled at her challenge.

"Oh, you jus' stay dere, Rogue." He crawled down and sat next to her. He looked up and down the river. "Dis is nice up here."

"Ain't it? Ah love this tree. Been climbin' it foh who knows how long."

"An' y' said dat y' fell off dat one time?"

"Yah, that was pretty funny. Ah went home ta Irene with muddy clothes an' everythin'. She wasn't too happy." He got a demonic twinkle in his red eyes. "Ah don't like that look, Remy. Ya always do somethin' bad."

"I ain' plannin' anyt'in', chere. Honest." He just looked away from her to change the topic. She stared at him questioningly for another moment before turning her attention back to the river. Remy chuckled to himself quickly and then did something he knew he would definitely regret later on. He, deftly as he could, wrapped his arms around her and leaned off of the branch. He heard a tiny yelp from her out of surprise right before they hit the water with a huge splash.

"Remy!" She shouted angrily as she got her head over the water.

He actually let himself float down river a bit so he would be hit with her flailing arms. When he got above the water himself, all he could do was laugh.

"Ah cain't believe ya did that!" She hovered herself as much over the water as she dared. The last thing she needed was for some local to see a flying girl. She twisted her hair to get the water out. "Jeez, an' here Ah thought Ah hated pool water."

Remy swam to shore and just waited for the oncoming of Rogue's anger. "Y' not too mad, are y', chere?"

She just curled her lip into a twisted pout and got out of the river. "Y'all're just lucky we didn't leave our stuff at Irene's. Gimme the keys so Ah can go get changed." She stomped over to him.

"Can I-" He started as he pulled the dripping keys out of his pocket.

"No, ya cain't watch!" She growled in frustration and snatched the keys away. All Remy could do was snicker to himself.

Ten minutes later, Rogue emerged from the car, while Remy obediently stayed away. "Y' okay now?"

She sighed. "Yes, Ah'm fine. Just a li'l shaken up. Don't evah do that again though."

He put his hand up. "Thief's honor."

"Don't even give me that." She laughed. "Are ya gonna get changed?"

"Nah, I'm dryin' up as it is. I'm gonna grab a new shirt, dough." He took the keys and went back to the trunk of the car. He simply changed his shirt there. Rogue tried her best to not stare, but she's seen his chest enough to not get all bashful when he was changing.

"Remy, did ya check what time it was?" She asked as she suddenly became interested in her shoes.

"7:40 somet'in'."

"That's what Ah thought."

He finished pulling on his shirt and shutting the door to the car. He walked over to her with a questioning look in his eye. "Why?"

"Ya hear that?"

He stood quiet for a moment and concentrated on nothing, trying to get what she was hearing. He faintly heard music. "De club?"

She nodded ruefully. "Opened at 7:30."

"Y' wan' go dancin'?" He rose an eyebrow and nudged her slightly.

"Ah don't think that'll be the greatest idea in the world…"

"C'mon. It'll be fun. We can watch de sunset from dere instead!" Without waiting for her response, he started tugging at her hand towards the music.

"Remy, no! Ah cain't go back there!"

"Chere," he stopped in his tracks. "Y' can' keep runnin' from dis. Y' eit'er face it now or it's gon' plague y' for de rest of y' life. An' I don' t'ink y' wan' deal wit' dat 'long wit' ot'er stuff. Now _come on_." He began pulling on her hand again, and this time she obliged. 

"Ah can do this," she said to herself as she tugged at her skirt. Funny how she picked an outfit out of the car similar to what she was wearing that night. One of her simple black skirts with her matching boots and tank top, with stockings and a sheer blouse in a crimson color. They trudged on, Remy leading to where ever he heard music.

Rogue insisted they take the back steps to the porch out back of the club, where music was pumping out of. It faced the setting sun, of course, and Rogue stood somberly, watching it. She didn't even turn around when he asked if she wanted a drink. She just threw her hand up in acknowledgement and he was gone inside the main building.

"Ah can do this," she repeated to herself. Her gaze locked with the pink and orange hues of the sky, as the sun was lost behind the trees. _This ain't so bad so far. Ah can do this, Ah can do this. It's just the club. **The** club, none the less, but Ah can do it. Just survive tanight an' we can even go home tamorrow._ She absently fidgeted with her gloves.

She heard footsteps echoing underneath the music behind her. A smile appeared on her face. _Remy'll get me through this too._ She turned around, ready to accept her drink, whatever he may have gotten her. But she halted mid turn. "Oh no," she all but whimpered. _That ain't Remy, sugah._ A voice in her head told her.

There, in all his glory, stood a tall blonde boy about her age. "Cody…" she whispered.

TBC…

Yeah… like that wasn't predictable. What can I say, I suck with cliffhangers. I'm also sorry this is soo late, but with Europe and getting over my jet-lag… I'll try to have the next part up within a week or so, depending on when I finish it. It may be the conclusion… like I said, depends. :o)


	4. Deja Vu

Going Home – Chapter 4 ****

Going Home – Chapter 4

She just stood staring at him for a moment, while he did the same. A brief flash of recognition flashed his face before fading immediately. "Ah'm sorry foh starin', it's just Ah feel like Ah'm facin' some déjà vu here."

"Ya're tellin' me…" she laughed nervously. _He doesn't recognize me? What the hell did Ah do ta him?_

He stepped towards her cautiously. "You're from 'round here, raht? Ya seem like ya are."

"You could say that. Ah moved a li'l while ago." She pressed herself against the rail with each step he took closer. She faintly heard it cracking underneath her strength.

He stopped only about three feet away. "Ah'm Cody, by the way." He held out his hand in a polite gesture.

Rogue shivered slightly, and then put up her own gloved hand. "People call me Rogue." He shook her hand, eyeing the glove absently.

"Well, does Rogue have a real name?" He smiled jokingly.

"Oh no, Ah was told nevah ta tell strangers mah real name." She countered with a bantering tone. _This ain't so bad. Ah just wish Remy would get his ass back here though…_

"Ah'm sorry foh askin', but y'all're awfully overdressed in this heat-"

"Ah have a skin condition."

"Oh. Sorry foh bringin' it up."

"Don't worry about it." _Remy… _She glimpsed quickly over Cody's shoulder for any sight of the Cajun.

He stared down for a moment embarrassed. Rogue turned away to the sunset. For a minute or so, she stood staring at it in silence, hoping that she would hear Cody walk back into the club. No such luck. Instead he slowly made his way next to her against the rail. "It's real pretty, ain't it?"

"Yah… Ah grew up watchin' these things." She pointed to the direction her and Remy came from. "Ah used ta climb trees ovah there when Ah was a kid."

"Why did ya move away? Ah mean, most people Ah've known have been here fohevah."

Hesitant pause. "Ah, uh, mah momma-" Silent cringe. "-wanted me ta live with her foh a li'l bit." Wasn't a complete lie. "An' it was just mah time ta go. Ah wasn't accepted here any longer."

"Why?"

"Some how Ah don't think you'd quite understand."

He switched his position so his back was against the rail so he could look at her better. "Try me." He smiled.

She sighed heavily. "Ah'm not familiar ta you at all?"

He looked away for a moment in deep questioning. "Somethin' about ya… Ah cain't put the pieces tagether."

"It's bettah that ya didn't. Trust me on this one, Cody."

He raised an eyebrow to her for a moment, then decided to change the topic. "Would ya like ta dance?"

__

Oh gawd, he didn't just ask that. "Excuse me?" _Maybe Ah didn't hear him raht. That's it._

"Ah'm sorry, Ah shouldn't have asked…"

"No, mah hearin' is messed up these days. What did you ask?" _Just clarify it, gal._

"If ya wanted ta dance. With me, that is."

__

Shit. "Oh. Ah'm here with someone already…" _Nice cover up._

He nodded, disappointment present in his eyes. "Ah understand. Lucky guy." As if he knew the topic was on him, Remy strolled back out on the porch with two glasses in his hands. He saw Cody and stopped.

"Didn' know y' had company, chere." He eyed the blonde teen carefully.

"Remy, this is Cody." She stressed the name, letting him know it was, in fact, **the** Cody. She turned to Cody and waved around her hand between the two of them. "Cody, meet Remy."

Cody held out his hand as any gentleman would do and Remy shook it, his sunglasses hiding the concern in his demon eyes. "Sorry I'm back a li'l late. Line f'drinks be insane."

Rogue smiled. "It's okay, Swamp Rat. Me an' Cody were just talkin' about this an' that." She took a step away from Cody and towards Remy without thinking.

"Ah couldn't help but notice yoah accent. Where ya from?" Cody asked.

"N'awlins. Jus' cross de river pretty much."

"You two live there now?"

Rogue shook her head, but Remy spoke. "We live up north now. Wit' some ot'er teens." Rogue nodded this time in Remy's direction. _Good, Remy. Don't tell him 'bout the institute._

"Ah see." He gave them a doubtful look, but let it slide. "Ah was wonderin', Remy, if it would be all raht if Ah had a dance with Miss… Rogue here. If ya don't mind, that is."

Rogue's eyes widened and she looked at Remy. He thought for a second before answering. "Is up t' de femme here. I don' mind sharin' her f'one dance." He smiled wickedly.

She smiled sweetly at Remy, with a definite hidden glare in her eyes. If only she was psychic, she would send him "you are so dead, LeBeau." Instead, she turned to Cody and said almost without thinking "Where's the harm in one dance?" She shivered as the words escaped her lips. _Where the hell did that come from? Why doesn't Cody remember any of this?!_

She walked past both boys in a chillingly familiar way, as they both followed her in. She walked to a place adjacent to the central dancing point. After a few stares from other people, she knew this was a bad idea. "Too much déjà vu," she muttered to herself underneath the music. She saw Remy lean against the wall, ready to intercept if any harm came to her. She squinted the little harder at him and saw he was twirling a card in his fingers skillfully. He nodded to her to let her know he had his eyes on her. She breathed a sigh of relief and then turned back to Cody.

A new song kicked up and of course, it had to be a slow song. She turned back to Remy panicked, but he just nodded again as to say 'go with it.' So she did, uneasily wrapping her arms around Cody's neck as his hands found her waist. _Please don't let him get fresh an' go foh some skin!_ But he didn't, thankfully. She kept as far away as her clasped hands would allow her, making them look like the only two not romantically linked.

Rogue found herself not following this slow music, but the music that was playing that fateful night. Her mind was in a different place, reliving those few moments over again. Cody was over her, extending a hand out to help her up. And then…

Now her body slipped away from him. All of a sudden, she slumped to the floor, eager to get out of his reach. She was leaning on her hands, looking up at him. He looked at her strangely before reaching down to help her. "Hey, are ya all raht?"

Rogue didn't put a hand up this time. "No! Don't touch me!"

Then it clicked. "Wait… all this time… it was you?" By this time, the people in the club had turned their attention away from dancing and to Rogue's shriek. They all looked to her with recognition while it just flowed into Cody eyes. "You were the one who put me in the hospital all that time ago. What the hell did ya do ta me?"

She didn't answer. She just closed her eyes and gulped. _This ain't happenin'. Gotta get outta here. All the stares, he knows. They all know._ Cody looked ready to hit her if she wasn't a female. Others were starting to close in on the two of them, ready to start a mob attack. Without warning, an explosion sounded from the other side of the room. Everyone turned around in alarm, while Rogue felt herself being pulled away. She almost screamed until a half gloved hand was strategically place over her mouth. "C'mon, chere. Dis crowd ain' our scene anymore." She nodded against his hand and let him help her up. Then they rushed out the door and Rogue took off, hauling Remy with her. She decided the best place to go was in one of the trees, where no one could find them.

Rogue decided against babbling this time to just brooding quietly. She curled up on a branch and leaned against the tree, not caring about the other leaves and branches tickling her body. Remy sat similarly on the branch below her. He stared up at her, musing if he should have listened to her before. _Course y' shoulda listened ta her, dumb ass. No, y' had t' push in t' doin' what she didn' wan' do._

"I'm sorry, chere."

Moment of silence. "Don't be sorry, Rem. You were raht. Ah had ta face mah fears. Ah don't know what happened there. The whole incident was replayin' in mah head like clock work an' Ah fell like Ah did that night. It surprised me it took that long for it to click in Cody's head." She looked down at him. "An' the nerve of that boy wantin' ta dance with me." She laughed halfheartedly. "Ah cain't believe ya went along with it too! What were ya thinkin'?"

"I was bein' stupid. Didn' t'ink y' were gon' have a flashback in de middle of de dance floor."

She pursed her lips at him. "Ya know betta than that, Swamp Rat. Of course Ah would have a flashback in the middle of the damn dancefloor! Mah mind likes ta play tricks like that on me!" She huffed, and then sighed. "Ah'm sorry. This ain't yoah fault. Ah shoulda had more control ovah this. If Ah didn't slip away from reality for that single moment, me an' you could be dancin' in there."

"I can dance wit' y' anywhere, Rogue." He smiled warmly. She locked eyes for him for a moment before smiling herself. "One t'ing dough, chere."

"What?"

"How come y' didn' tell Cody y' real name? Ain' it kinda weird t' introduce y'self t' people dat way? As 'Rogue', I mean."

"Remy, if Ah knew mah real name, Ah would use it."

"Y' don' know y' real name?"

"Ah lost it in mah mem'ries. But if Ah could choose a name foh myself, just as a backup, in case Ah nevah remember it, it would hafta be Layla."

"Layla?"

"Yah… got a problem with that?"

"No. Somehow I was 'spectin' Marie or somet'in'."

"Ick, Marie? That's so… ordinary. An' Ah'm sorry, Ah'm not yoah average gal here." She scoffed.

"Dat y' ain', chere." He grinned again. He reached up to the branch she was on and lifted himself up on it. "Y' wan' leave t'morrow?"

She avoided his gaze. "Prob'ly. Ah know Ah don't have anythin' else goin' foh me here now. Maybe we should held back ta Irene's now. Ah don't feel like doin' anythin' else anymore."

He nodded, understanding completely. "I'll climb down an' get de car started. Take y' time, cherie." 

"Thanks." Remy started making his way down. He paused for a moment, gazing up to her out of instinct. He caught her wiping off a tear underneath her eye. Feeling like he caught something personal, since he didn't remember her crying since Carol, he continued his climb down.

Rogue wiped away the tear, knowing Remy saw the whole thing. She didn't care. More important things were on her mind. "Ah can nevah come back…" she whispered when she knew Remy was completely down the tree. She huffed somberly, hugging her arms to her body, feeling suddenly cold despite the muggy heat. _Face it, the only person that still accepts ya here is Irene. Ya saw how the rest of them were lookin' at ya. So much venom in all their glares… so much ignorant pain. Ah'm prob'ly the only mutant they evah came across. Well, an' Remy, too. But not that they knew he threw a card to advert their attention. _She sighed loudly this time. "Guess this isn't mah home at all."

At that thought, she pushed away from the trunk of the tree and made her decent down. She landed on the ground without a sound and walked over to the cherry red convertible waiting to take her back to Irene's. Remy was flipping through the stations, not happy with any of the music he was hearing. Rogue, not caring who saw her anymore, flew over the door and landed in her seat. She was feeling way to depressed and lazy to bother opening it and being normal. _Ha, normal. What a joke._

"The radio sucks here, Swamp Rat. It's all poppy shit."

"I noticed," he grumbled. "Y' got an'more CDs?"

She smiled weakly. "Plenty." She reached into the back seat for her CD holder. She handed it to Remy and he carefully picked out a jazz CD he had slipped in there earlier. "Ah knew you would sneak somethin' in there."

"Y' talkin' t' a master t'ief here, chere. I c'n slip anyt'in' in t' anywhere."

She just shook her head. "Let's just go. Ah'm so tired."

"I know." He rubbed her shoulder gently. "Y' want me t' read y' a bedtime story?"

"Be quiet an' drive," she groaned.

He did as she said. "I love it when y' quote song titles."

The ride was only five minutes to Irene's house, but Rogue had still managed to fall into a light sleep. Not wanting to wake her up, Remy carried her into the house. She curled up against the warmth of this body, like she had done so many times before. As he was walking to the front door, he couldn't help but notice the extra car sitting out front of the house. A limousine of all things. "Chere?"

"Yah, Remy?" She answered softly.

"No matt'r what, pretend y' still asleep. Somet'in' don' feel right with Remy." She opened her eyes more in surprise, but did as he said and leaned her head against his chest again.

He knocked twice first before letting himself in. Irene shouldn't mind as long as he had Rogue with him. He pushed the door open with his foot gently and walked in. Irene was sitting in the living room, chatting idly with – Mrs. Darkholme? "I finished things in Westchester earlier than expected, Irene."

"Oh, merde."

She turned away from Irene and saw Remy standing there with her daughter in his arms. "She didn't pass out or anything did she?" She asked, worriedly.

He eyed her dangerously before answering. "Non, been a long day. She jus' tired." Rogue on the other hand, was hearing everything. _Ah did not just hear her voice. Nope, it was Irene askin' 'bout me. _ Rogue liked that assumption. But soon another voice came and told her: _Who are you kidding, Rogue? That's definitely your mother._ Rogue didn't know whom the voice belonged too, but it sounded like one of her teammates. Probably Scott. _Never you mind, Scotty._

"I'm jus' gon' take her up t' her room an' put her t' bed if y' don' mind…" he turned away from the two adults and soon he was upstairs without any trouble from them. _Somet'in' definitely ain' right here._

He made it to Rogue's room and he pushed the door open. He put her on her bed and then went back to shut the door. Once she heard the door lock, she sat up. "That wasn't mah momma, was it?" She hissed in a whisper.

"Dat it was, chere."

"Dammit! Irene must've called her while we were gone. If Ah didn't have enough goin' on with this visit back. Ah didn't wanna see her!"

"I know, Rogue." He took a seat behind her on the bed and casually starting massaging her shoulders. "She didn' seem hostile at all, dough."

"Ah don't care how she seemed! Ah came down here ta confront mah fears, not see Mystique."

"Don' y' t'ink Mystique is part o' y' fears?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't be playin' shrink on me again, mistuh." In spite of her foul mood, her body was starting to relax.

Remy rested his head on her shoulder from behind. "But y' know I'm right," he breathed into her ear.

Rogue felt a warm chill through her body as she felt his breath on her ear. "Doncha be gettin' that way on me…"

His arms reached around her waist and he pulled her onto his lap. "An' what way would dat be?" He smiled evilly as his hands grazed her ribcage. 

She trembled under his knowing touch, but then pulled away. "Ah'm serious! Mah mother is downstairs. How the hell am Ah gonna deal with her?"

"Maybe y' could jus'… talk t' her?"

Rogue thought for a moment. Of course, it was the most logical thing to do. "Ya don't think she wants anythin' in return… like take me back to the Brothahood or turn me inta a guinea pig foh some othah project?"

He shook his head solemnly. "Maybe she jus' wants t' make amends. I don' t'ink parents like it if deir chile hate 'em."

She looked him in the eyes, realizing he hadn't even taken his sunglasses of yet. She reached up and took them off, so she could see the red blazing fully. "Does yoah daddy know that ya don't hate him?"

He shrugged. "Haven' talked t' him since de banishment. I don', dough. If anyt'in', he should hate me."

Rogue nodded, biting her bottom lip. He was right, of course. Funny how a smooth talking Cajun could be right so much of the time. She slid back into his lap, hugging him. After resting her head on his shoulder, facing away so she wouldn't make contact with his skin, she said, "Ah'll go down an' talk t' her. Foh both of us."

Remy smiled and kissed her temple through a lock of white hair. "Good, cherie." He rubbed her back delicately, up and down her spine. "When y' gon' go down?"

She leaned back in his arms, his thumb still rubbing her vertebrae. "Now's as good a time as any, Ah guess." 

"Dat's m'girl. I'll stay up here while y' go down."

She got off the bed slowly, her hand trailing along the white quilt. "Ya really think it'll go ovah okay?" He just nodded. She bit her bottom lip again and left the room.

TBC…

I really didn't start this story thinking it would involve Rogue and Mystique's relationship… but oh wellz. More of Cody in the next chapter too. (and you thought I was done with him… :o) Please review.

Oh, and I guess everyone now sees what I feel about the name Marie… heh heh heh. (Hey, just because its my middle name doesn't make it the best name for our Rogue)


	5. Civil Conversation

Going Home – Chapter 5

My endless notes *sigh*: Okay, about Rogue and Kurt's ages… For people who actually watch the show, I know it's off. But just go with it? I think it gave it a cute li'l twist… or whatever. And honestly, Evolution Rogue is half of me almost (or that's how my psycho mind likes to think of it) and when the series started, she was 15 and in 10th grade, and whaddya know, I was 15 and in 10th grade. Now I'm 16. Rogue, therefore, is 16. Simple? And Kurt is just 16 as he always has been. Now enjoy the next part :o)

****

Going Home – Chapter 5

Rogue stood at the top of the steps for a quiet moment, listening in on the rest of Irene and Mystique's conversation. "Did I make a mistake by coming down here, Irene? She doesn't want to see me, not after all I've done to her and Kurt."

"She'll give you a chance. You are her mother, Raven." 

"I don't know… I'm still really skeptical about this whole thing. She didn't come down here to see me." _Ya got that raht._ Rogue rolled her eyes. She shifted her weight and set off the creaking noise on the top step. 

"Dammit!" She hissed. _Betta go down now._ She walked down as if nothing happened. She just smiled weakly at the two ladies. "Umm, hi."

"I'll be in the kitchen." Irene smiled herself and got out of her seat and felt her way to the kitchen. Rogue stood for a second by the steps uneasily.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Raven ran a hand through her dark brown hair.

"Ah'll talk ta you in yoah natural form, only." Rogue said sternly. Once Mystique had changed back to her blue-skinned form, Rogue walked over and sat in the seat Irene had been sitting in. "So… what's brings ya ta Caldecott?" _Nice openin', gal,_ said a voice

__

Quiet, you, she internally scoffed.

"Irene called me soon after you arrived… She thought it would be good if we could see each other while you were away from your other teammates. She didn't mention the Cajun though…"

"Leave Remy outta this." She said harsher than she wanted. She made no attempt to make up for it though.

Mystique just nodded. "I'm sorry," she began. "For everything. I know that doesn't mean anything now because I've put you through so much since you left the team…"

"You could say that, Mystique." _Why am Ah bein' so mean? Get ovah it, like Remy said._ "Ah guess Ah should apologize too."

Her hollow white eyes centered on her daughter. "What for?"

"Foh leavin' you an' the boys… an' just bein' a pain in the ass."

Mystique smiled. "Accepted, Rogue."

"How are they anyway?"

"They're good. I'll let them know that you asked about them."

Rogue's turn to smile. "Ah always felt like the odd person out with them anyway. Bein' the only girl an' all."

"Didn't seem to bother them at all. Especially Lance."

"Oh don't get me started." She sighed. "That boy tried so hard ta get me."

"You know, this is nice."

Rogue dropped her smile. "It kinda is. Ah wish things didn't turn out so bad between us. You _are_ mah momma."

"Everything's my fault though. I mean, what the hell was I thinking with Miss Marvel? To my own daughter?! It makes me sick to even associate that with my doing."

"What made ya do it? Ah mean… it wasn't yoah idea was it?" Rogue gave her a cautious look. Was she going to like what she was about to hear?

"Partially… but Magneto had the initial idea. I thought it would bring you back to us, but it drove you away even further."

Rogue looked down to her hands. "Why cain't ya just leave him? Ya worked with us befoh… against the Juggernaut. All of the boys did."

"Remember, I had first wanted to steal Cerebro," she mentioned, her voice laced with guilt. 

"Ah don't know what ta say anymore, Mystique. Ah hate ta be so mean ta ya, but…"

"You have every reason to be. I don't know what I could ever do to make it up to you." She stood up in frustration. 

"Ta think of it, ya were great when Ah was with the Brothahood. You could just act like that again."

"But I'm the enemy now. That's what makes it so hard."

"Don't make it hard! You don't hafta be the enemy!" Rogue stood up this time, stomping furiously. The floor responded to her stamping with loud creaks.

Mystique noted that greatly and it added to her guilt. "I can't just _be_ a good guy, Rogue. It doesn't work like that!"

"Doncha think Ah know that? But cain't ya at least try? There doesn't hafta be good an' bad. Just… somethin'. Do it foh me… an' Kurt too. Ya didn't fohget about him, did ya?"

"Of course not! I still can't bring myself to think of him and what happened in that castle…"

"That's anotha story Ah don't even wanna talk about tanight. This is too much as it is." She plopped down in her seat. "Ah think we should do this again," she said barely above a whisper.

"What was that, dear?" 

"We should do this again. With Kurt, Ah mean. He could use the closure. It would get him offa mah ass."

Mystique smiled. "I love it how you can use that language in front of me."

"The only people Ah don't talk like that in front of is Storm and the Professor. Irene, too."

"So pretty much the people you have respect for?" Rogue shrugged. "Oh. Well, I think that it'd be good for all of us to get together and talk. And what do you mean, 'get him off your… ass'?"

"He's such a bodyguard. Sometimes Ah regret sayin' somethin' 'bout him bein' an 'annoyin' li'l brother.' How the hell would Ah know it woulda been true 5 months later."

"He is older than you, though. By twenty-seven minutes."

"We're twins?" Mystique nodded, her red hair bouncing. "Whoa… learn somethin' new every day. Wait till he hears that."

"You didn't know that?"

"Ah always thought Ah was older by… Ah dunno… now that Ah think about it…" She threw her hands up and laughed. "Hell, Ah nevah thought about it thoroughly. All Ah really noted was that we're in the same grade. Didn't think we would end up bein' siblin's. An' Ah've only known for what… a week? An' since then Ah've had finals…" She laughed nervously, "a trip ta Seattle."

"Seattle?"

"Yanno, it's funny how that happened..."

"I'm all ears, Rogue."

"Well, befoh ya get any ideas runnin' through yoah head, Ah'll let ya know first. Me an' Remy were… quote-unquote 'messin' around', an' we got kidnappedbyMistuhSinisterbecauseRemyowedhimfromsomethin'Ahstilldon'tquiteundahstand." She breathed heavily after saying it so quickly. 

"Did you say Sinister?"

Rogue nodded somberly. 

"My daughter… God, what did that monster do to you?"

She put her hands up. "Nothin'! We were saved by the othahs before anythin' could."

"And this happened because of something _Remy_ did."

"Ah told ya never ta mind him. Ah don't care if ya don't approve of him, because it doesn't mattah ta me 'cuz Ah love him an' that's all that matters." _Since when did this conversation get so intense? Ah mean… we're talkin' like we've been a family fohevah! Not that Ah'm not enjoyin' it in a morbid kinda way. Ah nevah could talk ta Irene like this, or the Professah foh that mattah too._

"You love him?"

Rogue beamed defiantly. "That's raht. There's this connection 'tween us that was there evah since Ah met him."

To Rogue's surprise, Mystique smiled slightly. "I'm happy for you. Honestly. I know nothing I say about Remy would change your mind, so I'll leave it at that. But he worked for Sinister?"

"Technically… no. He didn't stay with him long enough ta do anythin' but have a few experiments done on him… Because he used ta be like me, no control whatsoevah."

"And Sinister helped him?" Another nod. "I see."

"Mystique… why didn't ya keep me an' Kurt tagether… all three of us in a family? Ah'm not gonna even ask who mah daddy is, because Ah'm afraid y'all're gonna say someone Ah don't wanna hear. Like Logan or somethin'."

The blue woman laughed. "Oh no, not Wolverine. To be honest… I don't even know."

Rogue's jaw all but dropped. "What do ya mean ya don't know?"

"I thought you said you didn't want to know?"

"But that's different than you not knowin' at all!" _Mah mother, the whore. This just keep gettin' betta an' betta._

"To answer your question, I had you separated at birth because of Magneto. Irene volunteered to keep you safe down here while I went to Germany with Kurt. Then one thing led to another, and I thought I had lost him forever. It just got too painful to see you on a regular basis so I periodically checked in with Irene and stayed near Bayville." She avoided Rogue's piercing green gaze.

"Wow. Somehow, Ah wasn't expectin' that." She heard the creak go off upstairs. "Or that." She smiled. "Remy, Ah know ya're up there."

He peeked his head down. "Y' know dat I wouldn've set dat off normally."

"Ah know. A big shot thief like yoahself doesn't let anyone know of his presence. Get down here." She stood up when Remy made his way down the steps. "Me an' Mystique were just talkin', but Ah think you've been listenin' the whole time."

"Heard m'name mentioned. What c'n I say?" He sat down in her previous seat and she proceeded to sit on his lap, not caring in the least what Mystique would say. 

She just eyed the couple warily. "Well, Rogue, it's getting late. I wouldn't want to keep you from your vacation, so I'll leave you two." She shifted back to Raven Darkholme and disappeared into the kitchen.

Remy watched her leave. When he was sure she was out of ear shot, he turned to Rogue. "How did it go?"

"Actually, Ah think it was pretty good. Foh the both of us."

"Good t' hear, chere. Remy was startin' t' get worried. Didn' hear anyt'in' 'cept some poundin' for a moment." He nuzzled against her neck through her shoulder length hair.

She sank into his touch. "Hmm… Ah really don't wanna talk about her anymore though…"

"I'm not 'bout t' fool 'round down here. Or in dis house."

"Then stop teasin' me." She lulled her head against his face. "How about this? Ah'll go an' set up the extra cot in mah room while you bring in the bags. Then you can tuck me inta bed an' do whatevah ya want with mah half asleep body."

"Sounds like a plan, chere." Rogue levitated herself off his lap and twisted a lock of his hair in her fingers. 

"Ya bettah get movin' then, Remy. 'Cuz Ah might be asleep befoh ya make it up there." She yawned to prove her point.

He captured her hand entangled in his hair with his own hand. "Don' t'ink y' gon' be fallin' 'sleep before I get t' massage dose tense shoulders o' yours."

"Fair 'nuff. Ah'll see ya upstairs." In a reverse of roles for once, she kissed his hand. Then she flew upstairs, giving him a seductive look before landing at the top.

Remy then scrambled out the door, eager to get those bags in the house.

Raven watched their interaction from the kitchen. "I wish I could have seen her grow up." She sighed. "The same with Kurt. I missed so much, for the little I have gained by being away from them."

Irene sipped her coffee. "They both have grown up to be such wonderful young adults. Too bad I never had the joy of taking care of Kurt."

"God, I miss them. Maybe she's right. What am I saying? I know she's right. I have to get away from Magneto somehow."

"Even for a little while. Just stay down here. He wouldn't come down here, would he?"

"Hard to say. Would you really mind if I stayed down here a little longer?"

"Raven," Irene said somberly. "You are always welcome here. Maybe Rogue will decide to stay longer as well."

She only shrugged, knowing well enough that Irene would have not noticed. "I can only hope."

Remy lugged the bags up the stairs in one trip. "Chere? Li'l help, maybe?" He hit the top step and dropped the bags. _Right now is one of dose times I'm thrilled I'm not datin' Kitty. Carryin' her t'ings might as well be suicide. _He laughed in spite of himself.

"Just drag 'em. Ah'll help ya in a second." She called from her room. She was having trouble setting up the rusty old cot.

Remy did as she said and pulled the bags by the handles to the archway of her room. "Need anot'er pair o' hands?"

She looked up and nodded. "Ah'll grab the bags after we finish this up." Remy knelt down and helped her while she pulled apart the cot and Remy locked it into place. Rogue then got up and picked up the bags with ease and put them in a corner of the room. Then she flopped onto her bed, the stuffed animals bouncing in sync with her landing. "Ah'm so beat. Ah didn't think not gettin' any sleep last night would be such a pain." She yawned loudly and curled into a sleeping position, facing Remy. "You tired at all?"

"Spendin' an' entire day wit' you is very tirin', chere." He laughed as he stretched out on the cot. "Damn, dis t'ing isn' very comfy."

"Hey, if the circumstances were different, Ah'd let ya join me on here. But Ah have no idea how much Ah flop around when Ah'm sleepin'."

"I do."

"You've watched me while Ah slept befoh?" She asked, only half surprised.

"What do y' t'ink gets me t'rough de bad nightmares?" He countered.

"You have nightmares, Remy?" He only nodded. "Ya nevah told me."

"Didn' wan' bot'er y' wit' it." He avoided her eyes.

She climbed off her bed and next to his lying form on the cot. "Ah bother you with enough shit ta last a lifetime. Remember what ya said earlier? We still gotta learn about each othah. C'mon, let's switch foh once." She smiled as she soothed him into flipping over onto his stomach. She started working out the knots in his shoulders slowly. "Now, tell me what ya dream about."

He relaxed immediately with her touch. "It's either about Sinister or losin' somethin'. The last couple of nights-"

"Nights?" She asked alarmed.

"Oui, nights, it's been 'bout Sinister. Seein' him triggered somethin' in m'head, I guess."

Rogue sank her fingers deep in his collarbone region. "What happens in those dreams?"

"All de operatin' t'ings. Most of de time it's me, but last night it was you."

"Me?" She stopped massaging.

He nodded against his pillow. "Not'in' is ever clear 'bout what exactly he's doin' t' eit'er of us, I just feel de pain."

"Oh… Ah've had dreams like that. People say that ya cain't feel anythin' in dreams, but Ah know different. Looks like you do, too." He just sighed into his pillow. "How come ya nevah told me 'bout it befoh?"

He shrugged weakly against her hands. "Didn' want y' t' worry."

She wiggled her fingers down his spine. "Sometimes Ah feel like this is a one way relationship… you're always fussin' ovah me but Ah feel like Ah don't do anythin'…"

"Chere," he lifted his head up. "Y' don' need t' be worryin' about me. Y' have enough t' worry 'bout wit'out gettin' my stuff involved."

"So, ya don't want me ta care, is that what it is?" She took her hands off his back.

"Y' know dat's not what I meant."

"Go on an' explain then, 'cuz Ah'm really confused raht now." She got off the cot and sat at the edge of her bed.

"Rogue, y' ov'r reactin'."

"With good reason, Remy. It sounds like ya don't want me ta know a damn thing about ya."

"It ain' like dat at all, stop doin' dis."

She exhaled loudly. "All raht. Ah'll stop it, but ya cain't keep this up. Ya promise not ta keep stuff from me anymore?"

He sat up on the cot, "'Course, chere. I'm sorry."

She licked her pouted lips. "Fine, Swamp Rat. You're forgiven foh now." She smiled slyly. "Ah know of a way foh ya ta make this up ta me though."

He caught on to her tone and sat next to her on her bed. "An' what would dat be?"

She laid down and rolled over onto her stomach. "Mah turn."

He chuckled. "Much obliged, chere." He dug into one of the discarded bags and found his fully fingered gloves. Then, he began work on her neck and shoulders. In a few short minutes, she was fast asleep. Remy noted her deep breathing and pulled away from her body. She hadn't even changed at all out of her clothes so he gently took off her boots and set them on the floor by her bed. He figured it would be dangerous for him to pull of anymore of her clothing so he tugged the blanket out from under her sleeping form. She stirred slightly but moved enough to allow him to pull it out so he could tuck her underneath. She moaned peacefully at the new comfort and settled in.

Remy checked the clock to the side of her bed. Surprisingly, it was only 9:50. Rogue was usually one to stay up until at least midnight. Especially with him around. Deciding it was way to early for him to actually go to bed, which he was not looking forward to since the cot had a lumpy old mattress, he started heading downstairs to get a drink. 

When he was at the bottom of the stairs, he could still hear Mystique and Irene talking. Not caring if he bothered them, he walked right into the kitchen. He nodded to them and then started looking around the room. "Where d'ya keep y' glasses, Irene?"

"Second cabinet from the fridge."

"Merci." Always the gentleman. He smiled to himself as he got a glass from where she said. Then he went to the faucet and filled it up with water. After filling the glass and taking a sip, he sat down with the ladies. "What's up?"

Raven glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Jus' tryin' t' start up a friendly conversation, Mystique. Too much t' ask?" He rested his elbow on the table and propped his head up to keep eye contact with her.

"Not at all. Is Rogue asleep?"

"Oui. She fell asleep after t'ree minutes of a backrub."

Her eyes flicked white as if to say "you were touching my daughter?" He only nodded, a twisted smile apparent on his features. "How close are you and my daughter, exactly?"

He laughed to himself. "Y' sure y' wan' hear? Dis ain' somet'in' I usually talk t' parents 'bout. An' dat's not what I'm here t' talk 'bout."

"Oh it isn't? Then by all means, tell us why you have graced us with your presence." She smiled her own sardonic smile.

"I c'n tell y' wanna resolve t'ings with Rogue. But it ain' gon' be easy f'her."

"I know that already."

"Good. Dat cuts half of my warnin' in half den."

"This is a warning?"

"Absolutely." His smile faded and his eyes burned red. "Don' y' hurt her. 'Cause whatev'r progress y' made wit' her t'night will be shattered if y' try anymore of y' shit."

"I know this already, LeBeau." She sighed cheerlessly. "I'm really trying this time though. I'd do anything for her forgiveness for everything she's been through."

He stared her down for a moment before his eyes turned soft. "Y' really changed?"

She avoided his eyes. "After she found out I was her mother, it really didn't matter to me if she left me or not. There was just so much anger between us that her reaction could have made less of a difference to me. But then I lost my son, too. Neither could understand how their mother was the head of the enemy team. Reality hit me then. I have to stop being their enemy and be their mother."

Remy thought to himself for a second before responding. _She sound pretty serious… knew if Rogue gave her a chance dat she'd come 'round._ "Well, Mystique – Mademoiselle Darkholme – Y've passed m'test."

"You were testing me?" She asked in a flat tone. _Do I sound not surprised? I hope so._

"Y' know I do it all f'her. Don' ev'r doubt dat." He smirked again.

"I don't think I ever will. You two seem… very serious."

He took his head off his hand and leaned back in the chair. "D'ya really wan' know all de stuff we do besides get in trouble?" His smirk remained strong.

Raven matched his with one of her own. "I'll just take your word for it, Remy."

"Good. So, is dere anyt'in' I should tell de ot'ers when we head back up t'morrow? Like a secret plan t' invade de institute at all?" He raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head. "Now if I told you, where would the fun be for my boys?"

Remy stood up. "Ver' good, Mystique. Jus' 'cause t'ings are - almost - bett'r 'tween y' an' Rogue don' mean y' hafta give up y' whole job."

"Really?" Her eyes went wide.

"Well, if y' wan' change, go 'head. But if not, jus' don' f'get 'bout her an' Kurt. Y' can beat de crap outta me an' de ot'ers… 'specially Evan," he smiled to signify he was kidding. "I'm sure Rogue don' want y' t' get in trouble wit' y' boss, dat's all."

Raven nodded. "Thank you for respecting that, Remy. There will be a change, don't worry."

"Good t' hear. I'm goin' t' bed. Night." He walked past her and out of the kitchen, silently waiting about 5 feet away from the arch to hear anything.

"I told you he was good for her." Irene piped up.

"Now I'm starting to believe you."

Remy smiled at his success to have finally gotten on any mother's good side and went upstairs.

TBC

Yes, this was a big Mystique chapter… and no Cody. I really wanted to get a new chapter up though… and my bro is kicking me off the computer any time now. So look for the new chapter in a couple days :o) Please review and lemme know whatcha think!


	6. Facing Their Fears

Going Home - Chapter 6 ****

Going Home - Chapter 6

Rogue shuddered herself awake. It was still dark out and the only light she could see was the indigo glow from her alarm clock. She yawned as she saw it was only fifteen minutes before four. 

Throwing the blankets off of her, she stretched fully. She heard mild snoring coming from the floor beside her bed. She looked down, trying to focus in the dark. Remy had completely ditched the old cot and found a comforter to sleep on. 

She slid off the other side of the bed so as not to step on him and walked around to the window. From her window, she could only see the moonlight spill over Irene's house and into her backdoor neighbors'. Feeling ironically homesick for the mansion, she flew out the window and perched herself in the front of the house where she could see the moon. _It's kinda funny,_ she thought._ That's the same moon Ah look at when Ah'm at the mansion… but it seems so different._ She peered at it curiously. How the hell did it look different? _Ah think it's smaller… yah, that's it. Ah'm so much closer with the mansion._ She smiled at her revelation. Then she yawned. "If Ah wasn't so tired, Ah would get a closer look," she said aloud.

She lay on her back on the angled roof, fixating her stocking covered heels in the gutter for support. _An' Ah nevah did this on Irene's roof befoh._ She smiled. "Too bad we're leavin' tamorrow." 

"Y' wan' stay anot'er day, chere?"

Rogue jumped up and whipped around. "What're ya doin' up?"

"Y' really t'ink I could fall asleep at all? I was sleepin' on de floor. But I t'ink y' knew dat."

"You were fakin' it?"

He shrugged. "I got a li'l sleep in." He rubbed his neck. "Not too much dough."

"C'mon," she walked toward him and pulled on his arm. "Ah'll take the cot an' you can spend the rest of the night on mah bed." She hugged him and flew them both back down to the window. She helped him in before flying in herself. She felt her way towards the cot but Remy waited by the bed. "What?" Rogue asked when she didn't hear him climb onto the bed.

"Not'in'. Jus' gon' be lonely on dis big bed."

"Remy, ya have the bears."

"But dey not as warm as you." His eyes flicked brighter for a second.

"Don't even. Ah don't trust mahself…"

Remy reached for the light on her nightstand and turned it on. Then he found his dufflebag and searched around in it for a second before pulling out a long sleeved t-shirt. "Y' only toss an' turn if y' have a nightmare."  
"An' how do ya know Ah'm not gonna have a nightmare?"

He shrugged. "I'll be okay. C'mon."

Rogue stepped closer to the double bed, careful not to trip over the comforter Remy had set up earlier. "The bears are stayin' between us, undahstand?"

Remy nodded. He watched as she got on uneasily and pulled the blankets up to her chin. He sat on the bed and then plopped down on the pillow. She pushed herself as far away from him as she could without falling off the bed. "What's de matter?"

"Ah don't wanna touch you."

"An' y' not. C'mere." He gently pulled her into a hug and relaxed her back against his chest. Between their heads lay the purple bear, keeping watch. "G'night, chere."

Rogue sighed. "Night, Remy." He let go of her for a second to flip over and turn off the light. Then he laid one arm over her blanket covered waist and closed his eyes.

She stared straight ahead into the darkness for a few moments. She felt so safe in his embrace but she couldn't help but worry. She glanced over her shoulder to see that he'd already fallen asleep. She smiled faintly and then yawned. _Ya need the sleep. Go for it._ She wiggled closer to Remy's warmth and he responded instinctively by strengthening his arm over her. Within seconds she fell asleep herself.

Remy woke again, but this time at a more reasonable hour from the morning before. His arm slid off of Rogue as he twisted around to check the time. It was a little past eleven. _Yeah… dis is when Remy should wake up._ He nimbly got out of bed, careful not to wake the still sleeping Rogue. She didn't stir at all when he pulled away, which was comforting to him. He was afraid he had pushed her too much earlier. Honestly, in his head, he needed the warmth of someone beside him. And knowing he had Rogue there chased his nightmares away.

After standing up, Remy went into the bathroom. He relieved himself and then looked at his appearance in the mirror. He laughed to himself. _I t'ink I have longer hair den Rogue._ He ran his hand through the coppery strands. Then he checked his eyes. The crimson glow was adjusting readily with the light. "All good." He grinned. Walking past Rogue's room, he took off the long sleeve shirt and threw it by the nightstand. Then he took off for downstairs.

He made his way to the kitchen for breakfast, figuring he would walk in on another Mystique/Irene conversation. As he passed through the arch, he was not expecting to see a blonde teenage boy to be sitting with Mystique in her Raven Darkholme form.

She turned to greet him. "Good morning, Remy."

"Mornin'," he responded blandly, still eyeing Cody. "What're you doin' here?"

This was the first time Cody had seen Remy's eyes, therefore answering his question if the guy Rogue was with last night was a fellow mutant too. He gulped noticeably. "Ah came ta talk ta Rogue."

"She's sleepin'." He said with the same flat tone. He finally tore his eyes away from Cody to glare at Mystique. "Raven," he spat through gritted teeth. He only called her that to save her appearance. Usually it was 'Mystique' when she was in any form. "Y' do know who dis is, right?"

"Yes, I do." She kept a placid look on her face.

"Jus' so y' know."

"The young Mr. Robbins and I were talking about the welfare of Rogue."

"An' how y' doin' dis peacefully? He practically had a mob growin' 'gainst her an' y' sit here actin' all nice an' polite."

"Remy, quiet down. Rogue needs her sleep. Please just take a seat and you can join our conversation."

He put his on the back of the chair between Raven and Cody. She nodded to it and he took a seat. "Where's Irene?"

"She's in her room. She's having one of her headaches."

"Sorry t' hear dat." _Prob'ly havin' a vision. What is Mystique plannin'? She can' be playin' "Miss Nice Villain" t' da kid dat all but attacked her daughter._

"Now," she turned her attention back to Cody. "What were we talking about before?"

"Ah was tellin' ya what happened aftah Ah woke up." Raven nodded. "People all started comin' up ta me an' were askin' what it was like ta be attackedby a mutie just through touch." She cringed slightly at the slur. Remy noticed it fully, but Cody just continued. "In all honesty, ma'am, Ah didn't remember much a' anythin'. Like it was sucked from me."

"Rogue does dat sorta t'ing." Remy muttered.

A groan came from outside the kitchen. "What do Ah do, Swamp Rat?" She was rubbing her eyes with her still gloved hands, though she had changed into sweat pants and Remy's long sleeved T-shirt. "Oh, shit," she mumbled when she stopped rubbing her eyes.

"Hi." Cody said shyly.

"Someone explain. Now." She demanded calmly. "Preferably you, Mystique." She glared at her mother.

"Cody came to apologize, dear. I thought I would teach him a thing or two about mutants." She stood up, her eyes clouded over with pure white. Cody shrank back even more in his chair if it was humanely possibly. "You see, Cody. Rogue here is my daughter. So by genetics, well… 50% probability if I'm going to be technical, that makes me…" She shifted back to her blue form. "…A mutant as well." She stepped away from her seat and ran her hand across the back of Cody's slowly. "You're very lucky I'm in a good mood today, because I work for someone who doesn't think we should be driven down by bigots like yourself."

"Mystique, stop." Rogue warned.

She huffed. "You apologize to her face or I'm going to make you regret everything about your whole life in this back water town."

He looked at Rogue, fear present in his crystal blue eyes. "Ah… Ah'm sorry."

"See?" She shifted into Raven again and pushed her glasses back on her nose. "That wasn't so hard."

"Ah'm gonna go…" Cody all but jetted out of his chair and made special note to be as far away from Rogue when he exited the kitchen form the front door.

"Dammit, Momm – Mystique! Ya didn't hafta scare him shitless!"

Raven noticed Rogue's slip. _Good, I'm getting through to her._ "Rogue, I can't let him stay a bigot forever. And you couldn't be the only mutant he ever came in contact with."

She sighed angrily. "He's not gonna be much of a born again if he's scared of us. Ah'll be raht back." She flew from the house and into the air. _He couldn't have gone far… there!_ She spotted him a block away from Irene's. It looked like he'd ran the whole way and had finally slowed down, taking glimpses back to see if he was being followed. Rogue flew ahead of him in order to intercept him at the next corner. She descended quickly, hoping she wasn't too noticeable. The corner had a house with a white fence around it, so she could hide easier behind it while she waited for Cody.

Only half a minute later she saw him pass by. "Cody!"

He turned, and his eyes widened. "Doncha talk ta me!"

"Cody, please. Ya know Ah'm not like her."

"Oh, really now? Ah don't know much about ya ta tell ya the truth."

"Was Ah like that last night?" He looked thoughtful for a second. "No, Ah wasn't, wasn't Ah?" He shook his head. "Could we please talk? Ah don't want things ta end like this."

"Look, Ah said Ah was sorry. What else do ya want from me?"

"Ah don't wanna leave knowing that ya hate me… an' what Ah am. Mystique… is different from me."

"Why do ya call her that?"

"Mystique? 'Cuz callin' her Raven is weird."

"Ah meant ya don't call her 'mom' or anythin'."

"Oh. Ya really wanna know?" He nodded. "Then can we settle what's between us if Ah do?"

"Yah, definitely."

Rogue eyed him suspiciously, still unaware of his intention. But she could take him if things turned out bad. She moved to the curb and sat down. Cody followed suit and sat down, almost arm's length away. _'Least he's still afraid o' me._ "Ah ain't gonna hurt ya. Not unless ya give me reason to."

He looked into her eyes to check for her sincerity but the edged closer to her. He still had enough room to get away if he felt it was needed. "All raht. Why Mystique isn't called 'momma'… cain't believe Ah'm about ta tell ya this, but Ah know all o' yoah dirty secrets."

"What?"

She laughed. "Just kiddin'." _Oops, guess he doesn't know too much on mah powers._ "Okay, so last night Ah told ya that aftah Ah moved away from here it was with mah momma."

"Yah."

"Yah, well, that was Mystique, o' course, but Ah didn't know that then."

"Why not?"

"Beats me. Ah lived with her an' four othah guys foh awhile…"

"Who were the guys? One of 'em Remy?"

"You ask a lotta questions, Cody." She raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged smiling, showing off his boyish dimples. "Just think. Ah wanted ta have this conversation with ya six months ago."

"Ah'm sure it's more interestin' now."

"Prob'ly. Keep goin'."

"Fine," she smirked lightly. "Ta answer yoah question, Remy an' me didn't meet up till later. But the guys Ah lived with were the best. Even though Todd smelled… an' Fred ate too much… an' Pietro was just too damn fast ta keep up with. Lance was the only one who Ah could stand all of the time. He looked out foh me." She smiled at the though. Then it faded. "They prob'ly hate me foh leavin'."

"Why did ya leave?" By this time, Cody had given Rogue his undivided attention and had his elbows propped on his knees. His head rested on one open palm. He had also moved another inch closer.

"Ah met some new kids… who wanted me ta live with them instead. One of 'em… Scott." She stopped.

"Ya liked him?"

"Ah guess Ah did. Don't know why. But we got in some trouble on a trip an' Ah moved in with his people. Ah still didn't feel at home with them… even if Ah do trust 'em. Mah boys with Mystique… they were bad-asses like me. At the institute, Ah was a freak among freaks." She sighed. _Maybe that's a li'l different now, but seriously… Ah'm surrounded by preps all the time there!_ "Okay. About two weeks aftah Ah moved in, Ah met Remy."

"How?"

"Ah'm still gettin' ta the Mystique thing. If Ah come down ta Caldecott again, Ah'll tell ya."

"Fair 'nuff."

"Thank ya. So, Ah meet Remy an' Ah'm not alone anymore. He was a loner just like me. There was this older guy, too. Logan. Me an' him connected foh a li'l bit, but he's not important in this story.

"So, trouble immediately comes lookin' foh me an' Remy like snap. Long story short, Ah get captured by Mystique… get some new powers," she put up her hand to silence Cody when he opened his mouth. "Deal with that. Then Remy gets captured, Ah find out Mystique is mah momma. By this time, Ah pretty much hate the woman foh puttin' me through so much. So Ah don't accept it at all an' fly mah ass outta there."

"Fly?"

"New power." She answered simply. "So othah shit happens with Remy… skip ahead… Then Ah find out one of the boys Ah'm livin' with now is actually mah brother. That was interestin' ta find out."

"What's yoah brother's name?"

"Kurt. Sweet guy but he's the protector Ah nevah wanted. Anyway, Remy talks ta me the othah day an' gets outta me that Ah wanna come back here. So that brings us here. Any questions?"

"Plenty, but they can wait. They ain't really mah business."

"Really?" Rogue was astonished. _Foh a boy who interrupted me at every moment possible like a six-year-old, he knows when ta shut up._ "Ah have a question of mah own."

"Sure."

"Why the sudden change of heart? Ah mean, last night ya looked like ya wanted ta host a witch trial."

He looked away from her and took a couple seconds to answer. "Ah don't know much of mutants… Just from what Ah hear of ya, an' none of it is good."

"It ain't good anywhere, Cody."

"But, Ah figured… befoh ya knew ya were a mutant, you were normal, like me or Ty or anyone. There was a reason Ah liked ya."

"Heh, almost fohgot that this whole thing started 'cuz ya liked me. That's why ya know where Ah lived?"

He nodded shyly. "But… Ah was thinkin', ya cain't be all bad, just 'cuz ya got tainted blood."

"Gee, thanks," she muttered.

"Ah'm sorry. Ah didn't mean it that way."

"It's okay. Keep goin'."

"Ah don't even know what Ah'm sayin' anymore. Ah just know that Ah had ta find out more about ya then what was spread around."

"Ah undahstand." She sighed. "Ah hate foh this ta end, but Ah think it's time Ah went home."

"Ah'll walk ya."

"Ah meant mah real home. Up in New York."

He nodded, disappointed. "Ah didn't think you would be stayin'. Ah'm prob'ly the only person here that undahstands what you've been through."

"Ya know what though? Ah think Ah'll come back. Maybe in another six months." She stood up and he did the same. "Just when the home sickness starts up again." She smiled weakly.

Cody smiled, too. "Ah'll look fohward to it. Meet ya at the club?"

"Sure, why not? An' maybe we can get a whole dance done."

"That would be nice." There was a moment of silence. All of a sudden, Cody moved closer and pulled Rogue into a hug. She stood stiff for a moment and then realized that he had initiated this. He wasn't afraid. She hugged him back gently.

"Thank ya, Cody. This is _exactly _what Ah came back foh." She pulled away and stepped back. 

"You're welcome. Ah'll see ya around." She nodded, fully content with her visit. She had faced her past demons. She had reconciled with her mother and Cody understood her for a person and not for what she did to him.

"Bye, Cody." She smiled truthfully and turned to walk back to Irene's. After walking about ten steps, she turned back. He was still standing there. _Foh a jock, he's a pretty good guy. If these powers nevah came then, Ah couldn't think of where'd we'd be now. Then again, we prob'ly wouldn't know all we know about each othah._ She waved shyly. He waved back, giving her one more dimple-filled smile and turned away to head home. Rogue started heading in her own direction once again. After walking a little farther, she heard a small chuckle behind her.

She turned around and wrinkled her nose in a half pout, half smirk. "How much did ya see, Swamp Rat?"

He sat up from the fence he was leaning against. "Sittin' on de curb an' on. Y' happy now?"

"Very."

"Bien. Y' ready t' go home?"

"Definitely. Ah did what needed ta be done."

"Den y' right. Time t' go home." He walked up and linked his hand with hers. They started walking back to Irene's. "Should I be jealous?"

"Of what?"

"Dat hug y' gave him… looked a li'l too comfy if y' ask me." He grinned and poked her side with their joined hands.

"Oh, shuttup!" She laughed, shoving him away.

"I don' hafta worry 'bout him stealin' y' heart from me, do I?"

She snuggled against his arm. "Now, you're a good li'l theif. Ah think ya know how ta keep yoah most treasured items safe."

"Dat I do, chere." He kissed the top of her head. "Dat I do."

The End!!

Yes! It's finally done! How did everyone like it? Please, please send in a review. Also, one more thing. In about a week, I'm going to be transferring all of my series to the Evolution section in the cartoons, because they belong there. I just figured I would post this last chapter in the comic X-Men section so people could find it. But from now on, I'll be posting any new additions to the series in the CartoonEvolution section. 

Thanks for reading! I love you guys! :o)


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